Add the shucked corn to a large pot of salted boiling water and cook them for 10 to 12 minutes or until tender. See chef notes for grilling.
Mix the mayonnaise, crema, and optional salt until combined.
Brush the cooked corn on the cob with melted butter.
Next, brush each cob with the mayonnaise and crema mixture.
Generously spoon on the cotija cheese completely covering the corn.
Sprinkle the chili powder on all sides of the corn.
Garnish with optional chopped fresh cilantro.
Notes
Make-Ahead: This recipe is meant to be served as soon as it is ready. You can, however, keep the ingredients separate and the corn warm in warm to hot water for up to 30 minutes before serving.How to Store: Store the elote with toppings on the side covered in plastic and refrigerated for up to 4 days. It does not freeze well at all.How to Reheat: If you do not plan to eat all of it in 1 sitting, then it is imperative to leave the topping ingredients separate. Simply reheat the corn in boiling water or in the microwave and then spread on the topping ingredients once finished.What is Silk? Silk is the technical term for that annoying long stringy material between the raw husk and corn that goes everywhere.If you choose to grill the corn and use the husk as the handle for eating, remember only pull the husk back so that it is still intact with the corn and the cob, and then tie a few pieces of butcher’s twine around the husk so that it isn’t going everywhere.I did not add salt to the crema and mayonnaise mixture in the video below, but I did include it in the written recipe in case you wanted things a bit saltier.Leave the corn in the husk and cook on a hot grill (450° to 550°) for 18 to 20 minutes. When cooking on the grill, it steam-cooks it and will shuck with ease allowing the silk to pull right off when doing it. The husk will also act as a handle to eat the corn if you don’t shuck it all the way and simply pull it back.The simplest form of this recipe would just be corn, mayonnaise, chili powder, and cheese. You can keep that easy if you'd like.