SWEET DESSERT TAMALES

SWEET DESSERT TAMALES

You can make sweet tamales by making a sweet masa from just about any sweet tamale recipe, then filling the tamale with just about anything! I've filled tamales with bananas, chocolate, strawberries and mangos with great results. I use a mango tamale recipe, then adjust to whatever filling I'm using.

   TAMALE DOUGH
   12 dried corn husks soaked in hot water for an hour to soften
   2 cups masa harina
   1/2 cup butter, lard or shortening, softened
   1/3 cups brown sugar (granulated sugar may be substituted)
   1 teaspoon baking powder
   1/2 teaspoon vanilla
   1 1/2 cupss mango nectar or Mango juice or Orange juice
   MANGO FILING
   2 large, ripe mangos chopped into 1/2 in cubes
   1 tablespoon brown sugar, granulated sugar may be substituted
   1 teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon (sometimes sold as Mexican cinnamon)

TAMALE DOUGH INSTRUCTIONS

Mix masa, butter (or lard or shortening), brown sugar, and baking powder in a stand mixer until fluffy. Beat in mango juice and vanilla until well blended. To test the dough, take a nickel-sized piece of dough and place it in a small cup of water. If the dough floats, it is ready.

MANGO FILING

To make the mango filling, combine mangos, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 7-8 minutes. Set aside.

TAMALE ASSEMBLY

Drain corn husks and pat dry. Lay the husk down with the smooth side up and the narrow end pointing away from you. Spread about 2-1/2 tablespoons of dough on the husk, leaving about 2 inches at the top of the husk and Ľ inches on the sides. Place about a tablespoon of the mango filling on top of the masa and fold corn husk by closing each side in, then folding the top half of cornhusk to the bottom. Steam tamales by placing a steamer basket in a large stockpot with water and stand the tamales inside the pot with the open end up. Steam for one hour, adding water as needed and let cool for about 5 minutes before serving. Makes about a dozen tamales.

If you are looking for authentic flavor, consider using the Mexican Cinnamon. It's a "true" cinnamon, and has a wonderful, rich flavor, without the bitterness of some other types of cinammon.
http://www.mesamexicanfoods.com/market/shop.php/cinnamon-ground/p_6.html

Recipe formatted with the Cook'n Recipe Card Software from DVO Enterprises.