Main Ingredients:

See below ingredients and instructions of the recipe

Cooking Preparation of the Recipe:

2 lb Wild blackberries
2 c Cold water
1/2 c Cold water
3 oz Tortilla masa (1/3 cup)
3 tb Crushed piloncillo or
-dark brown sugar to taste
1/2 c Prepared tortilla masa, or
-scant 1/2 cup masa harina
-mixed with 1/3 cup water
2/3 c Water
1 1/2 c Warm milk
1 1/2 c Warm water
1 1/2 oz Tablet drinking chocolate
1 3-inch cinnamon stick
3 tb Sugar, brown; to taste

Though there are many variations, basically "atole" is a gruel
thickened with masa, sweetened with raw sugar, and flavored with
crushed fruits - such as pineapple and strawberries - or seasoned
with chili. Some are made with a base of ground rice; others with
fresh corn. For the Mexicans atole, too, is a natural accompaniment
for tamales. For non-Mexicans, however, it is really not the sort of
beverage that would generally be accepted, no matter how authentic.

Blackberry atole Put the blackberries and water into a saucepan and
cook over a medium flame, pressing them down from time to time, for
about 10 minutes. Puree the blackberries in a blender or food
processor and press through a fine sieve, or the fine disk of a food
mill, to extract the seeds, and return to the pan.

Add the water to the masa and press out any lumps with the back of a
wooded spoon. When it is quite smooth, stir it into the strained
blackberries. Cook over low heat, stirring often until the atole
begins to thicken.

Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. It should take about 25
minutes to reach the required consistency, so that the mixture will
very lightly coat the back of a wooden spoon.

Champurrado (Chocolate-flavored atole)

Put the masa into the pan with the 2/3 cup water and cook over a low
flame, stirring constantly, until it thickens - about 5 minutes.

Gradually stir in the milk and water and cook until it begins to
bubble. Add the chocolate, broken into pieces, the cinnamon stick,
and the sugar and cook slowly, stirring, until the mixture thickens -
about 15 minutes. The atole is done when a spoonful slides
noiselessly rather than plops back into the mixture.

The Cuisines of Mexico From the collection of Jim Vorheis

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