Sweet Tamales With Figs And Red Corn Masa Recipes

SWEET TAMALES WITH FIGS AND RED CORN MASA

Steps:

• Rinse about 30 dried corn husks and then soak them overnight. Weigh them down with a plate so they stay submerged.
• The next day, in the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the lard and butter until the mixture looks similar to merengue.
• Slowly add the sugar, baking powder, salt, ground spices, and fig jam (skip the fig jam if you're making the raspberry and chocolate variation). Continue mixing and occasionally pause to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
• Add the masa harina and water in parts, pausing the mixer so the dry flour doesn't poof out of the bowl. If you're using wet nixtamal masa, add it in chunks. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, check on the texture of the masa, and add more water if needed.
• Run the mixer for about 3 additional minutes after you're satisfied with the masa's hydration. Then add the dried figs (or raspberries and chocolate chips) and mix briefly to distribute them throughout the batter.
• Drain the water from the corn husks and pat them dry. Separate out small or damaged husks to use for lining your pot or tearing into strips to tie around the tamales.
• Set up a tamale-making work area with the corn husks, a baking sheet for the finished tamales, a cutting board where you will fill and fold the tamales, and the bowl of masa with a spatula for scooping.
• See the gallery below and video above for visual depiction of these instructions.
• Place a corn husk on your cutting board with the narrow end/angle of the triangle closest to you. Scoop about 1/3 cup of filling and place it in the center of the husk. Fold the husk in half lengthwise, and then fold that empty double layer of husk over the filled portion of the tamale. Finally fold the pointy empty base of the tamale upward over the filled portion. Lay the folded tamale, final fold side down, on a baking sheet. Repeat until all the filling is gone.
• Tear a couple of corn husks into strips and tie them around the tamales, over the final fold if possible.
• Place a coin (e.g. nickel) on the bottom of your pot so the sound of it rattling will let you know your water is boiling. If the heat is high and the coin has gone silent, you need to add more water.
• Add the steaming basket/rack and water, making sure the water is below the level of the basket. Then line the side of the pot with some of the extra husks to prevent the tamales from being flush with the hot sides of the pot.
• Now add a loosely balled piece of aluminum foil to the pot to take up extra space (unless you've doubled the recipe or are using a small pot). Finally place your tamales in the pot with the final fold facing inward toward the foil ball. I put the larger tamales on the outside and the smaller ones in the middle.
• Cover the tamales with more of the corn husks, tucking the narrow ends under the tops of the tamales. Add a small towel to the top of the husks and cover the pot with the lid.
• Place the pot on the stove at high heat. When the water begins to boil (coin rattles), lower the heat until you feel pressure under the lid but the water is lightly boiling.
• Set a timer for 1 hour and let the tamales continue to steam.
• When the time is up, remove and unwrap one of the tamales. If the masa doesn't stick to the husk, it's done cooking. If the masa sticks to the husk, rewrap the tamale, add a little water to the pot, and steam for another 15-20 minutes before you check again.
• Serve the tamales immediately or reheat them later in the microwave or on a fry pan. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for about a week or wrap individually and freeze for several months.

SWEET TAMALES

Steps:

• If using corn husks, soak in warm water for a 1/2 hour until pliable and then drain. If using banana leaves, Defrost the banana leaves overnight in the refrigerator if frozen, and cut off any hard sections or sections with holes. Cut the leaves into unbroken 12 inch pieces. If the leaves are pliable, proceed with the recipe. If not steam the banana leaves in the top of a double boiler until soft and pliable, 20 to 30 minutes. Set aside until ready to assemble the tamales.
• In a small saucepan gently heat the rum. Place the raisins in a small bowl and cover with the warm rum. Let the raisins soak and absorb the rum while you prepare the masa.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the vegetable shortening until very light, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and half of the masa and beat until combined. Mix the milk and coconut milk and add alternately with the remaining masa in several batches to the mixture until the mixture is the consistency of medium-thick cake batter. Add baking powder, salt, and cinnamon, and beat for 30 more seconds. Add the melted butter and beat to incorporate, being careful not to overmix.
• Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the masa batter into the center of a banana leaf. Place about 2 teaspoons of the plumped raisins in the center. Fold 1 side over the batter and then the other to enclose the filling. Bring the bottom and the top over the filling to create a package. Tie the tamale with a piece of string, and repeat with the remaining masa batter and filling.
• If using corn husks spoon about 2 tablespoons masa down the center of the husk and then about a tsp of raisins. Fold both sides over the masa and then fold up the bottom. (Please refer to the photos for guidance).
• Line an insert steamer with a layer of unused banana leaves. Lay the tamales in the lined steamer, and steam over simmering water until the tamales are cooked through and release easily from the banana leaf wrappers about 1 1/2 hours.

SWEET TAMALES

Steps:

• Sort corn husks, setting aside any torn ones.
• Soak intact husks in warm water for at least 1 hour or until softened and easy to fold.
• Beat 2/3 cup lard in large bowl until creamy.
• Combine flour, corn meal, sugar, cinnamon and salt in medium bowl.
• Alternately add flour mixture, water and sweetened condensed milk to lard, mixing well after each addition.
• Melt remaining lard and gradually stir into masa mixture, mixing until consistency of thick cake batter (masa).
• Stir in vanilla, raisins and nuts.
• Spread 1/4 cup masa, using back of a spoon, to form a square in the center of one husk.
• Fold right then left edge of husk over masa.
• Fold up bottom edge.
• Repeat with remaining ingredients.
• Place vegetable steamer in pot with lid and add water to just below steamer.
• Arrange tamales upright in steamer rack.
• Cover top of tamales with reserved dry husks and a damp towel and cover.
• Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low.
• Steam, adding water as needed, for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until masa pulls away from husks.

SWEET ORANGE TAMALES

Steps:

• Place corn husks in a bowl, cover with boiling water, and soak for 30 to 60 minutes. Drain, place on a work surface, and cover with a clean, damp towel.
• Combine oranges and 1 1/4 cups sugar in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture starts to turn into jam, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
• While jam is cooling, place lard in a large bowl, add 2 or 3 ice cubes, and beat with an electric mixer until soft and creamy. Beat in 1 1/4 cups sugar until well incorporated.
• Combine masa dough and baking powder in a separate bowl. Knead together for a few minutes. Add masa to lard mixture. Mix in milk alternately with orange juice, beating continuously with the electric mixer. Mix in cooled jam, raisins, and almonds.
• Select 1 wide corn husk or 2 small ones. Spread about 2 tablespoons masa mixture onto the corn husk, filling it up to 2 inches from the bottom and 1/4 inch from the top. Fold sides of husk together, one over the other. Fold the bottom of the husk over the seam of the 2 folded sides. Repeat with remaining husks.
• Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Add tamales with the open side up and cook until filling is heated through and separates from the husk, about 1 hour. Let tamales stand for 15 minutes before serving.

PINK MEXICAN TAMALES

Steps:

• Pull 1/4-inch strings from reserved husks to wrap tamales, or use twine; set aside. Cover corn husks (including pulled strings) with warm water and let stand until pliable, at least 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, coarsely chop pineapple tidbits; set aside. Add enough water to reserved pineapple syrup to make 3 cups liquid. In large bowl, add pineapple liquid, corn masa, shortening, sugar, baking powder and salt. Beat with electric mixer on low speed until combined, and then use hands to form soft, creamy dough. Stir in food color until light pink.
• Drain corn husks; pat dry with paper towels. Place 2 tablespoons dough on each corn husk, spreading slightly, making small indentation in center with back of spoon. Place 1 to 2 teaspoons pineapple and 1 teaspoon raisins in indentation, pressing in slightly. Place another 2 tablespoons dough on top of fruit to cover completely.
• Fold each side of the corn husk over filling to cover. Using thin pieces of husk, tie each end of the tamale.
• In 5-quart Dutch oven, place round cooling rack. Pour boiling water in Dutch oven, almost touching rack. (Water should not touch tamales when they are added.) Place 6 empty corn husks on top of rack. Stand filled tamales inside pan, leaning against sides all around. Cover tamales with damp towel, and cover pan, tucking in edges of towel, so no edges hang over sides of pan. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer gently 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or until tamale dough becomes firm. Add more water if needed during cooking time. Let stand uncovered 10 to 15 minutes. Carefully unfold each tamale by removing string and opening husk.

SWEET SPICED TAMALES

Steps:

• Soak the dried corn husks in hot water until soft, 30-60 minutes.
• Beat the shortening and salt with an electric mixer in a bowl until light and fluffy, and slowly beat in the masa harina 1/4 cup at a time, alternating with 1/4 cup water per addition, until the masa mixture is very light and fluffy. Beat in 1/2 cup brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla until the mixture forms a soft, fluffy dough, about 5 minutes.
• To assemble the tamales, drain the corn husks and pat them dry. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the masa dough onto a corn husk, forming a rectangle of dough 1/4 inch thick and about 2x3 inches in size. Spread the dough all the way to the right edge of the corn husk, and about 1/2 inch from the left edge. Spoon about 1 teaspoon pecans in a line down the center of the masa dough, and sprinkle the nuts with about 1 teaspoon of brown sugar.
• Roll the right edge of the corn husk over the filling to the center of the tamale. Fold the left edge towards the center, rolling the filling into the dough, so the plain edge overlaps the rolled tamale. Fold the top end down and the bottom end up, making a tidy package, and tie securely with a piece of kitchen twine.
• Fill a large saucepan with water, and place a steamer rack in the pan so the top of the rack is about 2 inches above the water. Place the filled tamales into the steamer with seam sides down. Bring to a boil, cover, and steam the tamales until firm and the dough releases easily from the corn husk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.