A thick, warm, sweet drink made from fresh corn blended with milk, sugar, and cinnamon, a pre-Columbian beverage still central to Guatemalan daily life.
Ingredients
6 ears fresh sweet corn, kernels cut off
3 cups milk
2 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick
Pinch of salt
Ground cinnamon for serving
Instructions
1Blend corn kernels with 2 cups water until smooth.
2Strain through a fine sieve into a saucepan, pressing to extract all liquid. Discard solids.
3Add milk, sugar, cinnamon stick, and salt.
4Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 15-20 min until thickened to a drinkable consistency.
5Remove cinnamon stick. Adjust sweetness.
6Serve warm in mugs, dusted with ground cinnamon.
Did You Know?
Atol de elote is so thick it blurs the line between drink and food — Guatemalans debate whether it should be sipped or eaten with a spoon.