Sweet Corn Arepa (Arepa de choclo)
Arepa de choclo Say it: ah-REH-pah deh CHOH-kloh
Arepa de choclo is Colombia's sweet corn pancake, sold at roadside stalls and eaten at breakfast or as a mid-afternoon snack, especially in Antioquia. Fresh tender corn is blended with milk, egg and a little butter, then griddled until the edges crisp and the middle stays soft and custardy. It tastes gently sweet, of new corn, with a savory contrast from melted queso fresco. Served hot, folded or open-faced, it is one of the country's most comforting street foods.
Sweet Corn Arepa (Arepa de choclo)
Arepa de choclo
Pronounced ah-REH-pah deh CHOH-kloh
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Level
- Easy
Also nut-free.
Allergens: contains milk, egg. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the arepas
To finish
Method
If using fresh corn, stand each cob upright in a wide bowl and slice off the kernels; you need about 4 cups (600 g). Put the corn, milk, eggs, melted butter, sugar and salt in a blender and blend for 30 seconds, until mostly smooth with small flecks of corn still visible.
Scrape the mixture into a bowl and whisk in the masarepa until evenly combined. Let it rest for 10 minutes so the cornmeal hydrates; the batter should be thick enough to mound on a spoon but still spreadable.
Heat a large nonstick griddle or heavy skillet over medium heat and brush it lightly with butter.
Ladle about 1/3 cup (80 ml) of batter per arepa onto the griddle and spread it into a round about 3 1/2 inches (9 cm) wide. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the edges look set and dry and bubbles break across the surface.
Flip each arepa carefully with a thin spatula and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, until golden brown underneath and springy when pressed in the center.
Sprinkle about 1 oz (30 g) of the shredded cheese over each arepa, fold it in half, press gently with the spatula and cook for 1 minute, until the cheese melts and the outside is deep golden.
Serve immediately, while the cheese still stretches and the edges are crisp.
Regional variants
Some cooks stir the grated cheese straight into the batter instead of folding it inside. Others leave the cheese out entirely and eat the arepas with butter and arequipe (dulce de leche) as a sweet treat.
Cook's notes
- Drain frozen corn thoroughly and pat it dry, otherwise the batter turns runny and the arepas spread too thin.
- Keep the heat at medium: the sugar in the corn browns fast, so a pan that is too hot will scorch the outside before the middle sets.
- Let the batter rest the full 10 minutes so the cornmeal softens and the arepas stay tender in the center.
Serve with
Hot chocolate or black coffee for breakfast, fresh fruit juice in the afternoon, and a little extra queso fresco on the side.
Make ahead and storage
The batter keeps, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours; stir well and cook from chilled. Reheat cooked arepas in a dry skillet over medium heat for a minute or two on each side.
