Poleada Salvadoreña

Poleada Salvadoreña is a silky, comforting custard cherished across El Salvador, especially at family gatherings, school events, and weekend meriendas. Its hallmark is the gentle perfume of cinnamon-stick and vanilla-extract infused into rich milk, sweetened with sugar, and thickened by cornstarch. Some households add egg-yolks for a golden hue and deeper body, and finish with a pat of butter. A dusting of ground-cinnamon and a few raisins on top are beloved finishing touches that evoke warm, nostalgic aromas.

Ingredients

• 4 cups milk
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 cinnamon-stick
• 2 teaspoons vanilla-extract
• 3 egg-yolks (optional)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons raisins (optional)
• 1 strip lemon-peel (optional)
• 1 teaspoon ground-cinnamon (for dusting)

Equipment

• Medium heavy-bottomed saucepan
• Whisk and wooden spoon
• Heatproof mixing bowl
• Fine-mesh strainer
• Serving cups or a shallow dish

Timing and Yield

Active: 15 minutes; Simmering and thickening: 10–12 minutes; Chill (optional): 2 hours. Serves 6.

Preparation

1. Make a slurry: In a bowl, whisk the cornstarch with 1/2 cup cold milk until smooth and no lumps remain; set aside.
2. Infuse: In a saucepan, combine the remaining milk with the cinnamon-stick and the lemon-peel. Warm gently over medium heat until small bubbles appear at the edges, about 5–7 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover, and let steep for 5 minutes.
3. Sweeten and season: Remove the cinnamon-stick and lemon-peel. Whisk in the sugar and a pinch of salt until fully dissolved.
4. Enrich (optional): If using egg-yolks, whisk them in a separate bowl. Slowly drizzle in a cup of the warm base while whisking to temper the egg-yolks, then return this mixture to the pot, whisking constantly.
5. Thicken: Return to medium heat. Whisk in the reserved cornstarch slurry. Cook, whisking steadily, until the custard bubbles and coats the back of a spoon, about 8–10 minutes. Adjust heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer and prevent scorching.
6. Finish: Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla-extract and butter until glossy and smooth. Stir in the raisins if you like.
7. Strain and portion: For an ultra-smooth texture, pass the custard through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl or directly into cups. Dust the surface with ground-cinnamon.
8. Serve: Enjoy warm, or cover the surface to prevent a skin and chill until set, at least 2 hours.

Notes and Tips

• For best texture, fully dissolve the cornstarch in cold milk before heating; adding dry cornstarch directly will clump.
• Keep the milk at a gentle simmer to avoid scorching and curdling.
• Classic aroma comes from the pairing of cinnamon-stick and vanilla-extract; the optional lemon-peel brightens the flavor.
• Richness and sheen come from stirring in butter at the end; adding egg-yolks gives a deeper color and custardy body.
• Finish with a veil of ground-cinnamon and a sprinkle of raisins for tradition and contrast.

Serving and Enjoyment

Spoon into cups or a shallow dish and dust with ground-cinnamon; scatter a few raisins for bursts of sweetness. It’s cozy served warm, or wonderfully refreshing after 2 hours in the fridge. The gentle bouquet of vanilla-extract, the comforting creaminess of milk, and the spice of cinnamon-stick make every spoonful unmistakably Salvadoran.

Background

Rooted in colonial-era techniques and adapted to local tastes, this dessert showcases pantry staples: milk, sugar, and cornstarch. Over generations, families have personalized it—some emphasize the perfume of cinnamon-stick and vanilla-extract, others enrich with egg-yolks and finish with butter. A final flourish of ground-cinnamon and a handful of raisins is a familiar, homestyle signature across El Salvador.