Olha o Picolé

The Brazilian street vendors’ call “Olha o picolé!” (“Look at the Popsicle”) will evoke memories of steamy days for anyone who grew up in Brazil. But the picolé, once considered a cheap alternative to ice cream, has gone upscale. Now sold at shopping malls and even French restaurants, the picolé has become a favorite of discerning Brazilian foodies.

In recent years, vendors have begun selling a new generation of frozen treats they call paleta, modeled after the Mexican Popsicle, which is richer, bigger and less watery than a picolé — and...

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