On Sunday instead of a regular cup of java, I spiced things up with Cafe Atole. It’s originally from south of the border, and that alone tells you that things are going to heat up. Atole is a popular Mexican hot beverage thickened with masa. What is masa, you might ask? It is essentially the Mexican version of corn starch. Most often I have come across Cafe Atole made with cinnamon and brown sugar, however the InterCourses recipe kicks it up a notch by using cayenne pepper. Cinnamon is eliminated from this recipe and it involves a 3 to 1 cup ratio of milk and coffee, as well as sugar to taste, a quarter cup of high quality dark chocolate and of course 3 tablespoons of fresh masa. The masa thickens the spicy coffee to create a rich indulgent sip.
The Results
As he took the first sip, his eyes widened and the surprise of having coffee brought to him in bed on Sunday morning became astonishment. It woke him right up. We already know that coffee is a stimulant, cayenne pepper creates heat, and quality chocolate takes us to a happy place. Isn’t that a great feeling for a Sunday morning in bed? My two favorite eats, coffee and chocolate, combined to make a feisty and rich drink. It was delicious, however, I have to say that I missed the cinnamon in my Atole.
I never thought this is called cafe atole. I do this all the time especially when there is plenty of chocolates on the fridge. I even do this on Coffee shops i order some brewed blends then just melt in a piece of choco over it while waiting for my clients.