Charamusca de nance (Salvadoran popsicle in a bag)

Charamuscas bring so many childhood memories, they are the perfect treat on any hot day!

What is a charamusca?

In El Salvador a charamusca is an ice pop in a bag. They can be made with a variety of fruits and flavors but my top three favorites are nance, sapote con leche (sapote fruit with milk) and cafe con leche (coffee and milk). Nance and sapote are common fruits in El Salvador and most Latin American countries but you can't always find them in US grocery stores. However, recently I've started to see an increase in availability of these fruits in certain grocery stores and I got lucky and found fresh Nance!

Nance is a small, sweet yellow fruit with a black round seed in the middle. It's known by different names throughout many countries. In Jamaica it's known as 'hogberry." I enjoy it the most when I'm in El Salvador and can pick it off the tree myself but when I can't do that my second option is a charamusca in this Houston, Texas heat.

How to make a charamusca?

Making a charamusca is pretty simple and requires three mains steps; Make the fresco or fresh juice, fill up the charamusca bags and freeze them.

Ingredients:

• 1-2 Cup of nance

• 2 Cups of water

• Sugar to taste or preferred sweetener

• Ice pop bags 3in x 12in

Instructions

1. Smash the nance: Do not blend the fruit whole because it has the seed in the middle. My preferred technique is to use a molcajete to smash them. Smashing the nance should separate the seed from the fruit.

2. Separate the fruit from the seed, and blend half of the fruit with water and sugar. Charamuscas de nance usually have pieces of fruit and seeds but can choose to add them or not! I blend half of the fruit portion to give the juice more nance flavor and leave fruit pieces in the charamusca.

3. Optional: mix the seeds and rest of the fruit pieces into the juice blend. Taste test and adjust the sweetness to your liking.

4. Grab a bag, fill it half way and tie it.

5. Place the tied bags flat on a plate or tray, set them in the freezer overnight and enjoy!

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