Atol de Elote — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

A thick, warm, creamy drink made from fresh ground corn kernels, sweetened with sugar and flavored with cinnamon. Traditional Salvadoran comfort drink.

Ingredients

6 ears fresh corn, kernels removed
500ml milk
500ml water
150g sugar
1 cinnamon stick
Pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1 Blend corn kernels with water until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh strainer to remove hulls, pressing to extract all liquid.
2 Pour strained corn liquid into a saucepan. Add milk, sugar, cinnamon stick, salt, and vanilla.
3 Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking, about twenty minutes.
4 The atol is ready when it thickens to a drinkable porridge consistency and the raw corn taste has cooked out.
5 Remove cinnamon stick. Serve warm in mugs or cups. Can also be served chilled in hot weather.

Did You Know?

Atol de elote must be stirred constantly or it will stick to the pot and burn, making it a drink that demands the cook's full attention.