Nicuatole

It sets on its own as it cools, because the masa is the only setting agent — no gelatine and no egg.

Vegan.

Ingredients

• 250 g masa, as on its own page, or 180 g masa harina
• 1.2 litres water
• 200 g piloncillo, grated, or dark muscovado sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• a strip of lime zest
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ground cinnamon, to finish

Method

1. IT SETS ON ITS OWN AS IT COOLS, BECAUSE THE MASA IS THE ONLY SETTING AGENT. No gelatine, no egg, no cornflour, no agar. Corn starch from the masa gelatinises as the pan cooks and then sets firm as the temperature falls, and the whole technique is about getting enough starch out of the masa and into the liquid to carry that. That means it will look alarmingly thin when the pan comes off the heat -- about the consistency of pouring cream -- and will be sliceable two hours later. Judged by how it looks hot and cooked until it seems set, it dries to a solid rubbery block.
2. THE MASA IS SLAKED IN COLD WATER FIRST AND POURED IN AS A SLURRY. Worked smooth in three hundred millilitres of cold water, pressed through the fingers to check for lumps, and then poured in a thin stream into the hot sweetened liquid with the other hand stirring. Dropped in dry or as a stiff paste it seizes instantly into lumps that never disperse, and they will be in every slice.
3. IT IS STIRRED CONSTANTLY FOR THE WHOLE TWENTY MINUTES. Corn starch settles on the base of the pan within seconds of being left and scorches, and a scorched patch flavours the whole thing -- and in a pale dessert it also shows as grey flecks. A wooden spoon, the base scraped, the entire time.
4. THE TEST IS THE SPOON TRAIL AND NOT THE THICKNESS. Drawn through, the spoon should leave a trail that closes slowly over about two seconds. It is still obviously pourable at that point. That is correct and is where it comes off the heat.
5. IT IS POURED INTO MOULDS WARM AND LEFT ALONE AT ROOM TEMPERATURE. Straight into shallow dishes or small moulds while still hot enough to flow, and then not touched for two hours. In the fridge it sets faster and comes out noticeably firmer and slightly rubbery -- room temperature gives the softer set that is wanted.
6. The piloncillo, the cinnamon stick, the lime zest, the salt and 900 ml of the water put in a heavy pan.
7. Brought to the boil and simmered 10 MINUTES until the piloncillo has dissolved and the liquid is fragrant.
8. The cinnamon and zest LIFTED OUT.
9. The masa worked with the remaining 300 ml of COLD water until COMPLETELY SMOOTH, pressed through the fingers to check for lumps.
10. The slurry poured into the hot liquid in a THIN STREAM, stirring constantly with the other hand.
11. Cooked 20 MINUTES over a medium-low heat, STIRRED CONSTANTLY and the base scraped.
12. TESTED: a spoon drawn through should leave a trail that closes SLOWLY, over about 2 seconds. It will still pour.
13. Taken off the heat at that point -- NOT cooked until it looks set.
14. Poured WARM into shallow dishes or small moulds.
15. Left at ROOM TEMPERATURE, undisturbed, 2 HOURS to set. Not the fridge.
16. Dusted with ground cinnamon and served cut in squares or turned out. Keeps 2 days.

Our own recipe. This one was written for this site rather than taken from anywhere, so there is no source to point you at. The quantities and the order of the steps are choices, not the only way to do it.

Filed under Mexico · All recipes