Strawberry Horchata (Horchata de Fresa)

Ingredients

• 1.5 cup long-grain rice
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 4 cup boiling hot water (for soaking)
• 1 cup water (for blending the horchata)
• 0.25 cup water (for blending the strawberry purée)
• 1.5 lb fresh strawberries (for the purée)
• 0.5 lb fresh strawberries (for garnish)
• 1 cup whole milk
• 12 oz evaporated milk (1 can)
• 14 oz sweetened condensed milk (1 can)
• 1 tbsp Mexican vanilla extract
• Ice

Steps

1. 1

   Add the 1½ cups long-grain rice and 4 cinnamon sticks to a large bowl.

2. 2

   Pour 4 cups of boiling hot water over the rice and cinnamon, cover the bowl, and let it soak overnight for the best flavor (if not overnight, let it soak for at least 4 hours).

3. 3

   Transfer the soaked rice, cinnamon sticks, 1 cup of fresh water, and 1 tablespoon of Mexican vanilla extract to a blender.

4. 4

   Blend the mixture until smooth, which should take approximately 2-3 minutes.

5. 5

   Strain the blended horchata mixture 2–3 times through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a large pitcher to ensure a smooth texture.

6. 6

   Place 1½ lbs of strawberries and ¼ cup water into the blender. Blend until smooth.

7. 7

   Strain the strawberry purée into the pitcher with the rice mixture.

8. 8

   Add 1 cup whole milk, one 12 oz can of evaporated milk, and one 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk to the pitcher.

9. 9

   Stir the mixture thoroughly until all ingredients are well combined.

10. 10

    Fill glasses with ice, pour in the Strawberry Horchata, and garnish with the remaining ½ lb of fresh strawberries.

Notes

For the best results, soaking the rice overnight is highly recommended to soften the grains and extract maximum flavor from the cinnamon. If you prefer a less sweet drink, adjust the amount of sweetened condensed milk to taste.

Nutrition per serving

• drink
• beverage
• horchata
• strawberry
• summer
• refreshing
• mexican
• vegetarian