Spicy Atole De Piloncillo
By Melissa Pitts
With cold weather comes the cravings for something sweet, warming and comforting. Atole de piloncillo meets all the requirements of a cozy drink during the cold months. It’s thick, creamy, sweet and has just a touch of spicy cinnamon.
For those unfamiliar with piloncillo, it is an unrefined sugar that is commonly used in Mexican cooking. The sugar has been around for at least 500 years, and was being made before the Spanish came to Mexico around 1500. It is made when sugar canes are crushed, the juice is collected and boiled then poured into molds, where it hardens into blocks. Salud!
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup masa harina (recommended Maseca)
- 2 cups cold water
- 2 cups evaporated milk
- 1 cone of piloncillo, shredded- or more if you prefer your atole very sweet
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch of salt
Directions:
- In a medium saucepan, dissolve the masa harina in the water and milk and cook, stirring, over medium heat until the mixture has thickened.
- This step is optional depending on how thick you want your atole to be. For a thinner drink, strain mixture into another saucepan.
- Add the remaining ingredients and cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until the piloncillo has dissolved- about 5 minutes.
- Serve hot.
