Blackberry Atole (Atole de mora)
This is an excellent basic recipe for a fruit atole. You can vary the proportions of water and masa to make the drink a little thicker or thinner, and the amount of sugar will depend on the acidity of the fruit. But for 6 or so servings you should always count on using about a pint (or a pound) of any preferred fruit. Today many Latin American markets carry an array of frozen tropical fruits or fruit pulps -- from giant Andean blackberries to passion fruit -- that are wonderful for experimenting.
Ingredients
- 1 pint fresh blackberries, picked over and rinsed, or 14-16 ounces frozen blackberries
- One golfball-sized lump of fresh masa or ½ cup masa harina mixed with ¼ cup cold water
- ½ cup sugar or to taste
- A pinch of salt optional
Instructions
- In a medium-sized saucepan, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil.
- While the water is heating, purée the blackberries in a blender with the masa and 1 cup cold water.
- With a wooden spoon or pusher, force the purée through a mesh sieve into the boiling water. Stir in ½ cup sugar; taste for sweetness and add more if desired. Reduce the heat to maintain a low rolling boil and cook for 30 minutes, or until thickened to the consistency of thin cream soup. If the mixture is lumpy, strain through a sieve into a heatproof pitcher.
- Serve hot, in mugs or breakfast cups, and caution people not to scald themselves! (Atoles retain the heat much longer than you expect.)
Nutrition
Calories: 133kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 2gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 1mgPotassium: 153mgFiber: 5gSugar: 20gVitamin A: 189IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 36mgIron: 1mg