Tamal Dulce Recipes

SWEET TAMALES (TAMALES DULCES)

Steps:

• Place butter and sugar in a medium size bowl and, with the help of a mixer, beat for a couple of minutes until it has a creamy texture. About 2 minutes.
• In a larger bowl, mix Masa Harina, baking Powder and raisins. Stir well and then add the warm water little by little.
• While mixing the dry ingredients with the water, add the drops of red food coloring. Mix well to have a uniform color.
• Once you've incorporated the food coloring into the dough, it will look slightly pink. Now add the butter and sugar mixture.
• Beat the dough with your hands or a wooden spoon, as the dough is somehow too heavy to work with your mixer unless you have a Heavy Duty Stand Mixer like Kitchen Aid. The dough will be ready when it looks fluffy and creamy, like a very soft ice cream. If your dough seems too dry, add a little more water. The consistency has to be very soft.
• Drain the corn husks from the soaking water. Place about 1/3 cup of the dough over the corn husk and wrap the tamal. If you're also making savory tamales, you can tie the sweet tamales in order to differentiate them from the savory ones. Keep assembling the rest of the tamales.
• Place the tamales standing up in your steam pot (Tamalera), add about an inch of hot water, cover with corn husks, aluminum foil or a plastic bag, and then cover with the pot lid. Cook for 1 to 1 1/4 hour at medium heat. Add more hot water if needed to avoid burning the tamales.

TAMAL DULCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large saucepan, slowly boil the syrup, star anise, cloves, orange and cinnamon stick. Simmer the mixture for 5 minutes. Strain the mixture into the masa harina, stir to incorporate and discard the strained spices and fruit.
• Add the corn, pine nuts, sultana raisins, asadero cheese, and banana pieces to the masa mixture.
• Thaw a package of banana leaves by placing the still sealed leaves in a shallow pan of hot water, until thawed. Open package and rinse leaves in cool water then cut into 8-inch pieces. Assemble the tamales by placing 4 ounces of the mixture in the center of each banana leaf. And fold in sides to create a package. Place into the oven and bake for 20 minutes.