Recipes, re-invented from cooking shows
Pan de Elote
Prep. Time:
Baking Time:
Total Time:
20 minutes (plus 15 minutes resting)
20 minutes
55 minutes
Serves:
8 corn cakes (4 servings)
Oscar created this dish for Top Chef ™ Season 23. Handed a photo of a Southern breakfast chain's crispy pancakes, he answered with pan de elote — the Mexican sweet-corn cake — griddled to a crisp, caramelised edge over a moist, custardy crumb. Fresh berries macerated with lime, warm maple and fine s...
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Ingredients
FOR THE PAN DE ELOTE CAKES:
Fresh corn kernels (375g / 2½ cups, about 3 ears)
Sweetened condensed milk (120g / ⅓ cup)
Whole milk (120ml / ½ cup)
Large eggs (2)
Vanilla extract (5ml / 1 tsp)
Masa harina (60g / ½ cup, or fine cornmeal)
Plain (all-purpose) flour (60g / ½ cup)
Granulated sugar (50g / ¼ cup)
Baking powder (6g / 1½ tsp)
Fine sea salt (4g / ¾ tsp)
Unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for the pan (60g / ¼ cup)
FOR THE MACERATED BERRIES:
Mixed berries — blueberries, raspberries, blackberries (300g / 2 cups)
Granulated sugar (12g / 1 tbsp)
Lime, zest and juice (½)
TO FINISH:
Pure maple syrup, warmed (80ml / ⅓ cup)
Mexican crema or crème fraîche, optional (60ml / ¼ cup)
Piloncillo cone, for shaving, or dark brown sugar (40g / 1½ oz)
Flaky sea salt (to finish)
EQUIPMENT:
Blender or food processor
Large mixing bowl and whisk
Box grater or Microplane (for the piloncillo)
Cast-iron skillet or flat griddle
Fish slice or wide spatula
Small saucepan (to warm the maple)
Ladle or ¼-cup measure
Method
STEP 1: MACERATE THE BERRIES
Toss the berries with the sugar and the lime zest and juice. Set aside at room temperature for at least 15 minutes while you make the batter — they should release a little syrup.
STEP 2: BLEND THE WET MIX
Put about two-thirds of the corn kernels in a blender with the condensed milk, whole milk, eggs and vanilla. Blend to a rough, still-flecked purée — not perfectly smooth.
STEP 3: WHISK THE DRY INGREDIENTS
In a large bowl, whisk together the masa harina, flour, sugar, baking powder and fine salt.
STEP 4: COMBINE AND REST
Pour the wet mixture and the melted butter into the dry ingredients and whisk just until combined. Fold in the reserved whole corn kernels for texture. Rest the batter 15 minutes; it will thicken to a droppable, pourable consistency.
STEP 5: HEAT THE PAN
Heat a heavy cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium heat and add a knob of butter, letting it foam and just begin to brown.
STEP 6: GRIDDLE THE FIRST SIDE
Ladle in roughly ¼-cup pools of batter, spacing them apart. Cook 2–3 minutes, until the edges look set, the surface bubbles, and the underside is deep golden and crisp.
STEP 7: FLIP AND FINISH COOKING
Flip once and cook another 2–3 minutes, pressing very gently, until the second side is crisp and the centre is just set. Keep the crust dark-golden — that caramelised edge is the crunch the judges singled out. Wipe the pan and add fresh butter between batches.
STEP 8: WARM THE MAPLE AND STACK
Warm the maple syrup gently in a small pan. Stack two corn cakes per plate.
STEP 9: ADD BERRIES AND MAPLE
Spoon over the macerated berries and their syrup, then drizzle with warm maple. If using, add a dollop of crema alongside.
STEP 10: FINISH AND SERVE
Finish by shaving piloncillo over the top with a Microplane or box grater, and add a small pinch of flaky salt to each plate to lock in the sweet-salt balance. Serve at once, while the edges are still crisp.
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Instructions
FOR THE PAN DE ELOTE CAKES:
Fresh corn kernels (375g / 2½ cups, about 3 ears)
Sweetened condensed milk (120g / ⅓ cup)
Whole milk (120ml / ½ cup)
Large eggs (2)
Vanilla extract (5ml / 1 tsp)
Masa harina (60g / ½ cup, or fine cornmeal)
Plain (all-purpose) flour (60g / ½ cup)
Granulated sugar (50g / ¼ cup)
Baking powder (6g / 1½ tsp)
Fine sea salt (4g / ¾ tsp)
Unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for the pan (60g / ¼ cup)
FOR THE MACERATED BERRIES:
Mixed berries — blueberries, raspberries, blackberries (300g / 2 cups)
Granulated sugar (12g / 1 tbsp)
Lime, zest and juice (½)
TO FINISH:
Pure maple syrup, warmed (80ml / ⅓ cup)
Mexican crema or crème fraîche, optional (60ml / ¼ cup)
Piloncillo cone, for shaving, or dark brown sugar (40g / 1½ oz)
Flaky sea salt (to finish)
EQUIPMENT:
Blender or food processor
Large mixing bowl and whisk
Box grater or Microplane (for the piloncillo)
Cast-iron skillet or flat griddle
Fish slice or wide spatula
Small saucepan (to warm the maple)
Ladle or ¼-cup measure
Heading 5
Ingredients
STEP 1: MACERATE THE BERRIES
Toss the berries with the sugar and the lime zest and juice. Set aside at room temperature for at least 15 minutes while you make the batter — they should release a little syrup.
STEP 2: BLEND THE WET MIX
Put about two-thirds of the corn kernels in a blender with the condensed milk, whole milk, eggs and vanilla. Blend to a rough, still-flecked purée — not perfectly smooth.
STEP 3: WHISK THE DRY INGREDIENTS
In a large bowl, whisk together the masa harina, flour, sugar, baking powder and fine salt.
STEP 4: COMBINE AND REST
Pour the wet mixture and the melted butter into the dry ingredients and whisk just until combined. Fold in the reserved whole corn kernels for texture. Rest the batter 15 minutes; it will thicken to a droppable, pourable consistency.
STEP 5: HEAT THE PAN
Heat a heavy cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium heat and add a knob of butter, letting it foam and just begin to brown.
STEP 6: GRIDDLE THE FIRST SIDE
Ladle in roughly ¼-cup pools of batter, spacing them apart. Cook 2–3 minutes, until the edges look set, the surface bubbles, and the underside is deep golden and crisp.
STEP 7: FLIP AND FINISH COOKING
Flip once and cook another 2–3 minutes, pressing very gently, until the second side is crisp and the centre is just set. Keep the crust dark-golden — that caramelised edge is the crunch the judges singled out. Wipe the pan and add fresh butter between batches.
STEP 8: WARM THE MAPLE AND STACK
Warm the maple syrup gently in a small pan. Stack two corn cakes per plate.
STEP 9: ADD BERRIES AND MAPLE
Spoon over the macerated berries and their syrup, then drizzle with warm maple. If using, add a dollop of crema alongside.
STEP 10: FINISH AND SERVE
Finish by shaving piloncillo over the top with a Microplane or box grater, and add a small pinch of flaky salt to each plate to lock in the sweet-salt balance. Serve at once, while the edges are still crisp.
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