Arepa de Choclo

Sweet Corn Arepas

These arepas de choclo are sweet, crunchy, chewy, corn cakes that are native to Colombia. They are perfect for breakfast or as a snack with a side of farmers cheese.

The brief explanation of what exactly an arepa is would be to call it a corn tortilla or other grains. Many times, the main ingredient is corn, either using a dough made of fresh corn or corn flour. It has the shape of a round disc, quite flat, similar to a firm pancake. The arepas are cooked on the grill or in a frying pan.

Ingredients

  • 300 g drained canned corn (about 2 cups)
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 2 eggs, whisked
  • 2 tablespoons panela (replace by brown sugar)
  • Salt
  • 1/2 cup white, precooked corn meal (for example from the brand P.A.N.; corn meal to make arepas)
  • Milk, as needed, 0-4 tablespoons
  • vegetable oil or butter for cooking
  • slices of cheese (double cream, peasant or curd in Colombia, replace with cheese of your choice, or for example mozzarella)

    • Instructions

    1. Place the corn, melted butter, beaten eggs, panela (or sugar) and salt in a food processor/blender and mix for a couple of seconds. The mixture should be quite liquid and not completely soft. It's perfect if you see some larger pieces of corn.
    2. Add the mixture to a bowl, along with the corn flour. Mix with a fork and add up to a couple of spoons of milk if necessary. The dough should be a little firmer than the pancake dough, but more liquid than the arepas or bread dough
    3. Flatten the dough between your palms into a pancake shape, smoothing cracked edges with your fingers. Flatten pancake until it's about 1/3-inch thick and about 4 inches in diameter. Repeat with remaining dough.
    4. Heat the butter/oil in a frying pan.Cook for a couple of minutes on each side, until they are golden brown. You may have to cook them in batches.
    5. When you have cooked the four arepas, add the cheese. Place cheese on top of an arepa and stack a second arepa on top, as if you were making a sandwich. Repeat for the other arepa. Place in the frying pan, lower the heat and place a lid on top until the cheese melts.

    6. Serve whole or cut into halves. Serve hot with a cup of coffee, tea, chocolate or aguapanela
    ¡Buen provecho!