Atole de Mazapan

IT’S OFICIALLY ATOLE SEASON!

Which means it is also time to start sleeping with those cobijas your mom bought at the swapmeet with the lion/horse/bull/ zebra on it. 

Mine is burgundy with a lion on it and it’s comfy af. Don’t judge, you know you have one too.

For those poor unfortunate souls that aren’t familiar, Atole is a drink made with masa (corn flour) and we  typically have it during the holidays.

If you were like me though, you had it every Sunday after going to church.

I’m not religious, pero my heart was always ready to accept Jesus as our lord and savior if it meant I was gonna have atole, tamales, and one of those gelatinas de leche after mass.

Atole dates back to pre-Columbian times, and comes from the Nahuatl word ātōlli.

It was a very important part of Mexica culture as Hernán Cortes recounts in the Cartas de Relación, because they basically got most of their daily calories from it.

The Mexica would grind corn into a fine flour, boiled it until it thickened and would flavor it with spices, maguey or chocolate. I’m flavoring mine with Mazapanes because cacahuate and atole go hand in hand.

De la Rosa mazapan is a peanut marzipan candy, that we always tried to unwrap without breaking, but it was always mission impossible. As soon as it broke, it would crumble into a million pieces.

What will you folx be making this Christmas?

Share some of your favorite Holiday recipes with me!

Atole de Mazapan

(Makes about 8 cups)

1/2 cup masa for tortilla (or use Maseca to make your dough)

1 can (8 oz) of evaporated milk

1tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

8 cups of milk

2 1/2 cups of crumbled mazapanes (6 candies=1 cup)

Start by blending the masa, evaporated milk, vanilla, cinnamon in a blender until smooth. In a large stockpot or dutch oven whisk together the masa mixture, milk, and the crumbled mazapan. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly and then cook on low heat for 20 more minutes. Serve warm