Pan De Elote

Makes one 9 × 5 inch (23 × 12.5 cm) loaf

Pan de elote is one of the very few things my mom would bake for us every summer when sweet white corn was in season. The best way I can describe this is as a fusion between a pound cake and corn bread. It’s sweet, dense, and creamy, and perfect on its own or with a dab of butter or with a drizzle of honey.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/4 cups (281 g) unbleached all-purpose flour

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

  Chicano Bakes: Recipes for Mexican Pan Dulce, Tamales and My Favorite Desserts Esteban Castillo

• 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal

• kosher salt or 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 2 cups (300 g) fresh sweet white or yellow corn kernels (from about 3 large ears corn)

• 1 (14-ounce/397 g) can sweetened condensed milk

• 1/4 cup (59 g) whole milk

• 1/3 cup (66 g) sugar

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• 3 large eggs

• 3/4 cup (12 tablespoons/170 g) unsalted butter, melted

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 9 × 5-inch (23 × 12.5 cm) loaf pan, then make a sling by lining the pan with a strip of parchment across the width that overhangs the sides by at least 2 inches (5 cm) to make it easier to take the loaf out of the pan later.

In a large bowl, sift in the flour, then whisk in the baking powder, and salt.

In a blender, combine the corn kernels, condensed milk, whole milk, sugar, and vanilla. Blend on medium-high speed for a minute, until you have a smooth puree. Pour the corn puree into a medium-sized bowl, then whisk in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the melted butter. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk together just until combined and no traces of flour remain.

Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes.

Let the loaf cool in the pan completely before slicing.

Reprinted with permission from Chicano Bakes: Recipes for Mexican Pan Dulce, Tamales and My Favorite Desserts by Esteban Castillo. Text and photographs Copyright © 2022 by Esteban Castillo. Published by Harper Design, an imprint of Harper Collins

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