Atole de Fresa 1975 (Strawberry Atole)

Here’s another fun recipe to keep warm this winter! Atole is a family of hot, corn-thickened drinks that also includes champurrado. This particular recipe is flavored with strawberries and thickened with cornstarch (sometimes referred to in short-hand as maizena after the popular brand).

About Las 500 Mejores Recetas de la Cocina Mexicana

This recipe is from the 1975 cookbook Las 500 Mejores Recetas de la Cocina Mexicana by Bertha Zelayaran Ramírez and published by Gómez Gómez Hermanos Editores. Bertha was a prolific writer between 1975 and 1981, writing three more books: La Tradicional Cocina Mexicana in 1981, Antojitos Mexicanos in 1979, and Cocteles, Ceviches y Pescados in 1978.

Recipe from Zelayaran Ramirez, Bertha. Las 500 Mejores Recetas de la Cocina Mexicana. México : Gómez Gómez Hnos. : distribuidores exclusivos, Editora y Distribuidora Mexicana, 1975. Pp. 216.

Original Recipe

Atole de Fresa

675 grs. de fresa
280 grs. de azúcar
85 grs. de maizena
4 tazas de leche
2 tazas de agua
1 taza de crema
1 varita de vainilla

Se deslíe la maizena en el agua y agregando la vainilla se pone al fuego; cuando empieza a espesar, se aparta de la lumbre y se añaden las fresas con un lienzo húmedo y exprimiéndolas; luego se pone la crema y un poco de color vegetal para darle un bonito tono rosa. Se pone de nuevo al fuego y cuando hierva se retira.

Translated Recipe

Strawberry Atole

675 grams Strawberries
280 grams sugar
85 grams cornstarch
4 cups milk
2 cups water
1 cup cream
1 vanilla bean

Dissolve the cornstarch in the water, add the vanilla bean, and heat until the liquid begins to thicken. Remove from the heat and add the strawberries, after squeezing them through a damp cloth. Add the cream and a little food coloring to give it a nice pink hue. Return to the heat until it boils and then serve.

Ingredients

Strawberries: Use fresh ripe strawberries for best results.

Cornstarch: Atoles is a pre-Hispanic drink made with corn masa or masa harina, but in some regions, it is thickened with cornstarch (Maizena) or even rice flour.

Milk: Any milk will work for this recipe.

Vanilla Bean: If you can’t find vanilla bean, you can substitute it with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

How to Make Strawberry Atole

In a small bowl mix together the cornstarch and water.

Whisk until the cornstarch dissolves completely.

Heat the milk and sugar in a medium sauce pot over medium-low heat. Add the cornstarch mixture.

Add the vanilla bean, bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low and stir. Once it starts to thicken remove from the heat.

Place the strawberries in a moistened cheesecloth.

Squeeze over a bowl, so that the strawberries release their juices.

Add the strawberry juice to the pot and stir.

Add the crema.

And a couple of drops of food coloring.

Return to the heat until it starts to simmer, and then serve.

Serving

Serve immediately while it’s still hot. Drink it on its own for breakfast or serve with warm tamales.

Storing

Store any leftover atole in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to three days. It will continue to thicken as it cools. Heat it back up in a medium saucepot over low heat, if it’s too thick add milk or water until you reach the desired consistency,

More Atole Recipes

Yoy have to try this Atole Almendrado (Almond Atole) from 1896 and this Atole de Plátano (Banana Atole) from 1920.

Atole de Fresa (Strawberry Atole)

I modified the original recipe for this cornstarch thickened strawberry drink to make 2 cups. I also converted the grams to cups and tablespoons, using Gourmet Sleuth’s ingredient convertor.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Drinks

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 2 cups

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1/2 cup water
• 2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup milk
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 vanilla bean
• 1 cup strawberries, cut into quarters
• 1/4 cup Mexican crema
• 1 – 2 drops red food coloring

Instructions

 

• In a small bowl, mix together the cornstarch and water, and whisk until the cornstarch dissolves completely.
• Heat the milk and sugar in a medium sauce pot over medium-low heat. Add the cornstarch mixture, and the vanilla bean. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low and stir. Once it starts to thicken remove from the heat.
• Place the strawberries in a moistened cheesecloth. Using your hads, squeeze over a bowl so that the strawberries release their juices. Add the strawberry juice to the pot and stir.
• Add the crema and a couple of drops of red food coloring. Return to the heat until it starts to simmer, and then serve.

Notes

Serve immediately while it’s still hot. Drink it on its own for breakfast or serve with warm tamales.

Store any leftover atole in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to three days. It will continue to thicken as it cools. Heat it back up in a medium saucepot over low heat, if it’s too thick add milk or water until you reach the desired consistency,

Keyword atole, mexican food

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