With origins spanning across Mesoamerica, Atole de Elote is a must-try dish, with notes of cinnamon, corn, and creaminess. It’s an amazing drink to come home to after a chilly day out. With a prep time of around fifteen minutes and a cook time of thirty, this quick recipe will give you a quick burst of comfort after a long, busy day.
Ingredients
- 3 cups of corn
- 4 cups of milk
- 2 cups of evaporated milk
- ½ cup of starch (cornstarch)
- 1 ½ cups of sugar
- 2 tbsp of vanilla extract
- (optional) pinch of salt
1. Prep the Corn
If using fresh corn, cut kernels off the cob and place them into a bowl. For those using frozen corn, lightly thaw the kernels before cooking.
2. Blend the Corn
Add 3 cups of corn and 2 cups of milk into a blender, blend until visually smooth. The smoother the better – we want to extract as much of that corn taste as possible.
3. Strain the Corn
For this step, I recommend working incrementally. Pour your corn mixture into your strainer, placing it over a bowl or your pot. Use a spoon to press the liquid through the strainer, squeezing as much through as possible. Set aside.
4. Dissolve the Starch
In a separate bowl, mix in or blend a cup of cold milk and your ½ cup of starch, making sure there are no clumps and the mixture is thoroughly cohesive.
5. Combine all Components
Add everything to the large pot:
- Blended corn mixture
- Any remaining milk
- 2 cups of evaporated milk
- Starch mixture
- Sugar
6. Start cooking
Turn the heat to around medium-low for around 15- 20 minutes, and stir constantly. This step is key to preventing both burning and boiling over. As you heat the mixture, it will begin to thicken, so make sure to press out any clumps visible. Lower the temperature if the mixture begins to bubble. We are looking for a nice rise of steam.
7. Add Vanilla Extract
Finally, once your cooking time is done and the mixture is thick, add around 2 tbsp of vanilla extract and stir in, making sure to really incorporate it into the mixture.
8. Serve
Atole de elote can be served both hot and cold. I recommend waiting around 10-15 minutes to allow the beverage to cool before serving, so the flavours can really come through and the mixture thickens.
9. Enjoy
Feel free to add both cinnamon and more sugar to get it to your taste buds’ needs and enjoy. This recipe is extremely flexible, so add as needed and let us know what you think. Have fun and happy cooking!