Introduction: Atole De Elote / Atol De Elote (english Version)

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About: Pretty much all of my interests focus on applying everything that I learn to create usable crafts... usable things... plus learning from others is quite high on my to-do list.

Atole de elote is basically a warm, smooth, and sweet thickened drink with corn as its main ingredient.  It is well known around most of Central America, Mexico, and some places in the Caribbean.  Some times the name is spelled "atol" which as I have found in several sources including this one, http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atole, is a náhuatl word meaning "corn drink."  The drink is served warm and the basic recipe is often flavoured with spices/aromatics such as cinnamon and vanilla.  Nowadays, you can find fruit atoles to which fruit purees are added.

Here is my step by step instructable on how to make an awesome pot of atole de elote to share with friends and family... or to enjoy by yourself.  This is my first instructable so let's see how it goes...

Note:  Yes, you can find "instant" mixes for atole.  Look for a product called "Maizena" which is basically a mix of corn flour, starch and who knows what else!  There are certain places in Latin America where people do not recognize the name "atole" yet will smile and nod their heads when you mention "Maizena."

Step 1: Ingredients

- 5 cups ---> milk (substitute with any other type of milk... i have only tried it with cow milk yet i think that it will work with others)

- 6 ea ------> ears of corn (support your local farmers, buy your corn from farmers who use organic and biodynamic farming systems)

- 10 Tbs ---> brown sugar (you can use honey and/or any other sweetening to taste)

- 2 sticks --> cinnamon

- 1 1/2 tsp -> pure vanilla extract (support mexican vanilla... the original source of vanilla in the world! if you can find vanilla beans evern better!)

- 1/4 tsp ---> ground cinnamon, plus some to dust the top of the drink for garnish

- pinch -----> sea salt

- 1/2 tsp ---> unsalted butter (not included in the photo)... this one is optional

Step 2: Step 1 - Start to Simmer the Milk

Begin by...

- pouring 4 cups of the milk into a thick bottom pot/sauce pan and bringing it to a boil over medium heat
- while the milk is heating, add the sugar, cinnamon sticks, vanilla extract and salt
- stir often and turn the heat to low when the milk starts to boil
-simmer while you take care of the corn

**remember to stir the milk you have simmering on the stove!**

Step 3: Step 2 - Get the Corn Ready

If you have never cleaned fresh ears of corn, here is a quick explanation of what works for me...

- hold the ear by the top part... the part with the fuzzy hairs
- hold the tip of the ear with one hand and with the other pull half of the mass of hairs and husk towards the other end of the ear (yes, the photo only shows one hand doing the cleaning because the other hand was busy taking the photo)
- repeat the pulling action with the other half of hairs and husk

**remember to stir the milk you have simmering on the stove!**

note:  if you want to use as much of the ear of corn as possible, you can always save the husks for wrapping tamales and some people make tea by steeping the hairs.  you can find many uses for all of the parts of the ears of corn online

After cleaning the ears of corn...

- cut off the bottom tip
- carefully, scrape off the corn kernels into a bowl
- cut the corn cobs in half and put them in the pot with the simmering milk mix 

Step 4: Step 3 - Process the Corn Kernels

Once you are done scrapping the kernels off of the ears of corn...

**remember to stir the milk you have simmering on the stove!**

- put about half of the kernels into a blender, add 1/2 cup of milk and blend until smooth
- strain the puree through a sieve/colander into a bowl
- repeat the blending and straining with the rest of the kernels

**remember to stir the milk you have simmering on the stove!**

- put the mass that did not go through the sieve/colander back in the blender and about 1/2 cup of the milk that you have simmering in the pot, blend well and strain it again through the sieve/colander

note:  you can use the left over mass of corn that did not go through the sieve/colander to make corn bread and/or corn pancakes... i may add instructables for those recipes later on. 

Step 5: Step 4 - Add the Corn "milk"

All done with the corn straining?

- now add the corn "milk" into the simmering milk mix
- remember to stir often!
- keep cooking the atole de elote until it thickens and until the starch of the corn cooks completely
- add the butter and stir until it melts completely and mixes into the atole

How do you know when the starch of the corn cooks completely?  Taste the atole!  Do you get a sandy/dry feeling after swallowing the atole?  If you do, you have to cook it some more.  If you have not experienced that feeling/taste before, mix a bit of corn starch (or any starch) with a bit of water or milk, dip your finger in it and taste it... that is the feeling you do not want when you drink atole.  Cook the atole longer and stir often!!

Step 6: Step 5 - Enjoy!

As soon as the atole is cooked, serve it, dust it with cinnamon, and drink up!

If you have some left over, you can always keep it refrigerated and either eat it later cold or warm it up with some more milk for a second round.

Enjoy!