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Atole blanco

Warm masa drink

Atole de masa: plain warm corn-masa drink sweetened with piloncillo, from central and southern Mexico

Long before coffee arrived, atole was the morning drink of central and southern Mexico, and in villages of Oaxaca, Puebla and Tlaxcala plain atole blanco is still drunk hot with tamales at breakfast or on cold evenings. Fresh masa is whisked into water and cooked until it thickens to a silky, gently sweet drink with a toasty corn taste. Made with water it is vegan. Chef's tip: strain the masa before cooking, so the atole is smooth with no lumps.
Total time
25 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
4
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Ingredients

Serves4

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What you'll need

Fresh ingredients (1)

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Method

0/4 done
  1. Step 1: Blend or whisk 5 ½ oz fresh corn masa (or 70 g masa harina mixed with 100 ml water) with 400 ml of the 1 ¾ cups water until smooth, then pour through a sieve.

    3 min
  2. Step 2: Bring the rest of the 2 ½ cups water to a simmer with 2 ⅞ oz piloncillo or dark brown sugar, 1 cinnamon stick and 1 pinch salt over a medium heat, stirring until the sugar melts.

    5 min
  3. Step 3: Pour in the masa mixture, whisking all the time. Keep whisking over a medium-low heat for 12–15 minutes until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and no longer tastes raw. Walking away is the usual mistake: it catches on the bottom and lumps.

    15 min
  4. Step 4: Remove the cinnamon and serve hot in mugs. Add a splash of hot water if it thickens as it stands.

    1 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories
140 kcal
Protein
2 g
Carbs
30 g
Fat
1 g
Fibre
2 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does atole blanco take?
About 25 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegan?
Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
Is it gluten free?
Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
What can I use instead of piloncillo or dark brown sugar?
White sugar + 1 tbsp molasses or treacle per 200g.
What can I use instead of cinnamon stick?
½ tsp ground cinnamon per stick.

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Perfect for:Winter warmers

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