Elote Sourdough (Mexican Street Corn Sourdough)

The “Everything” Loaf: When Street Corn Meets Sourdough Loaf

There are two things I am absolutely obsessed with in this world: the perfect, tangy crunch of a sourdough loaf and the messy, savory, lime-drenched glory of Elote (Mexican Street Corn).

Usually, these two live in different worlds. One belongs on a cooling rack in a quiet kitchen; the other belongs on a stick at a summer festival. But I thought… why not bring them together?

I decided to go full “mad scientist” in the kitchen and create an Elote-Inspired Sourdough. Let me tell you: the results were EVEN BETTER than I imagined. The tangy fermentation of the sourdough perfectly complements the ZING of the lime and the KICK of the jalapeño. It’s savory, it’s spicy, and it’s officially my new favorite bake!

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Why This Works

Traditional Elote is all about balance—the sweetness of the corn, the creaminess of the mayo/cotija, and the sharp acidity of lime. When you fold these inclusions into a sourdough crumb, you get “pockets of joy.” Every bite has a different texture: a burst of sweet corn here, a salty hit of cotija there, and a slow-burn heat from the jalapeño.

The Game Plan

The secret to this loaf is the lamination step. By stretching the dough into a large rectangle and layering the corn mixture and extra cheese inside, you create beautiful swirls of flavor throughout the entire loaf, rather than just having everything sink to the bottom!

The Verdict?

Waiting for this to cool was the hardest part of my week. The smell of toasted corn and paprika filling the house was absolutely intoxicating.

When I finally sliced into it, the crumb was soft and studded with vibrant colors. It’s incredible on its own, but if you really want to go wild, try it as the base for avocado toast or a gourmet grilled cheese.

Pro Tip: Don’t be afraid of the moisture! The mayo and corn add hydration to the dough, which makes for a super tender interior. Just make sure your shaping is nice and tight!

Happy baking, and may your crust be crispy and your corn be sweet!

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Elote Sourdough (Mexican Street Corn Sourdough)

Created by Sue Mun

Makes One, Sourdough Boule

Ingredients:

For the Dough:

• 110g ripe sourdough starter (at its peak)
• 340g water
• 500g bread flour
• 10g salt

For the Elote Inspired Corn Mixture:

• 1, 14 oz can sweet corn, drained 
• 3 tbsp mayonaise
• 1-2 tbsp sour cream
• Juice of half a lime
• 1 tsp Tajin powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup crumbled cotija cheese
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 jalapeño, minced 

For the Inclusions:

• about 1/3 cup corn mixture from above
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 cup cojita cheese, crumbled
• 2 jalapeño peppers, chopped
• dusting of tajin powder
• dusting of paprika powder

Instructions:

1. Prepare the elite corn salad mixture by adding the drained sweet corn, mayo, sour cream, lime juice, Tajin powder, cotija cheese, parmesan, red onion, cilantro, and jalapeño in a medium bowl. Mix until combined and set aside in thee fridge.
2. In a large glass or ceramic bowl, mix together the warm water and the ripe sourdough starter.
3. Add in the bread flour and salt and mix until a shaggy dough forms.
4. Cover and rest for 1 hour.
   1. Stretch and fold #1. Using wet hands, stretch the dough into itself about 6-8 times or until gluten develops. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
   2. Stretch and fold #2. Using wet hands, stretch and fold the dough into itself until it can not stretch anymore. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
   3. Stretch and fold #3. Repeat the steps from above. You can add 2 tbsp of the elite corn mixture in as well as 2 tbsp jalapeño pepper, 1 tbsp cilantro, and 1 tbsp crumbled cotija cheese. Or wait to add the inclusions during lamination. Cover and rest for 30 minutes. 
   4. Stretch and fold #4. Repeat the steps from above. 
5. Cover and bulk ferment for 6-10 hours. Or until the dough has doubled in size and the dough peels away the sides of the bowl easily. If not, continue to proof longer. 

Shape the Dough:

1. Flip the dough over and gently stretch to a long rectangle. Evenly top with some elite corn mixture, cotija cheese, cilantro, jalapeño, and a sprinkle of Tajin and paprika on top. Perform a book fold. Top with more of the inclusions and gently roll the dough up. Then gently push/pull dough into a tight round in a candy cane motion.
2. Dust with rice flour and place into banneton bread mold.
3. Gently pull the edges of the round into the center of the dough. Just so it adds tension to the dough and helps improve oven spring when it bakes. 
4. Cover and proof in the fridge overnight (8-10 hours)

The Bake:

1. Preheat oven to 450F and place dutch oven in the oven to also preheat. 
2. Flip onto silpat or parchment and gently score the top of the dough using a lame knife.
3. Carefully place the sourdough into your hot Dutch oven. Cover with the lid. 
4. Bake at 450F for 30 minutes with the lid covered.
5. Lower the oven to 425F. Uncover the lid and bake again for 10-15 more minutes. Or until the internal temp is above 190F.
6. Cool completely on a wire rack before cutting and serving.

Sue Mun