Champurrado de Vainilla

By ltrodrigu

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup water
• 2 whole vanilla beans
• 1/3 cup masa harina (corn tortilla mix)
• 1/3 cup raw sugar, such as azúcar moreno, piloncillo or turbinado sugar
• 1 3/4 oz (50 grams) Mexican chocolate, such as Ibarra or Abuelita (60-70% cacao chocolate can be substituted), finely chopped

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from wsj.com

Preparation

Step 1

Combine milk and water in a lidded medium pot over low heat. Split vanilla beans, scrape out seeds and place seeds and pods in pot. Bring to a low simmer and maintain, taking care not to boil, 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit until vanilla infuses milk, 30 minutes. Stir and strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing to pass vanilla seeds and squeeze liquid from pods.

Combine a quarter of milk mixture and masa in a blender and purée until smooth. Warm remaining liquid in a medium pot until barely simmering. Stir in masa-milk mixture and bring to a simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly. Take care to avoid scorching as mixture thickens. Continue cooking until the taste of raw masa becomes the subtle taste of cooked tortillas, 5-10 minutes.

Remove from heat, and stir in sugar and chocolate until fully combined. Serve in warmed mugs immediately, or keep warm with plastic wrap or parchment paper laid on surface of liquid to prevent a skin from forming.