Families all over the South have special holiday traditions. Within the Hispanic community, making tamales tops the list. Most folks think of these steamed bundles of goodness as strictly savory, usually filled with pork or chicken. But Sylvia Galvano of Hoover, Alabama, recalls her mother's dessert tamales. "My mom was born and raised in Mexico, so tamales were always an important part of our Christmas celebration," she says. "I loved the sweeter, fruit-filled versions that she made for our family and to share with the neighborhood."
Sylvia has passed along the tradition to her three daughters. "Once you get started, tamales are really easy to make," she adds. "The girls and I make a big batch every year as a way of spreading a little Christmas cheer."
Sugar-and-Spice Fruit Tamales
MAKES ABOUT 14 TAMALES; PREP: 45 MIN., SOAK: 1 HR., COOK: 35 MIN., STAND: 5 MIN.
18 dried corn husks
2/3 cup vegetable shortening
1½ cups corn masa mix
3 Tbsp. light brown sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
½ cup warm milk
½ cup canned pumpkin
1 (20-oz.) can crushed pineapple in heavy syrup, drained
½ cup raisins, chopped
Kitchen string
Vanilla Sauce
Mexican Chocolate Sauce
1. Soak corn husks in hot water to cover 30 minutes. Separate husks, and continue soaking 30 more minutes. Drain husks, and pat dry. Tear 4 smallest husks into 14 strips.
2. Beat shortening at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer 2 minutes. Combine masa and next 4 ingredients. Gradually beat masa mixture into shortening. Beat shortening mixture 2 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
3. Gradually add warm milk to shortening mixture, beating at medium speed just until blended and scraping down sides as needed. Add pumpkin, and beat at medium speed 3 minutes. Cover dough with plastic wrap.
4. Using hands lightly coated with masa mix, spread about 2 Tbsp. dough into a 3- x 4-inch rectangle on right side of 1 husk, leaving a ½-inch border on right side and a 2-inch border from narrow bottom end of husk.
5. Spoon about 1 Tbsp. pineapple down center of dough. Sprinkle with about 1½ tsp. raisins. Roll up husk, rolling left side over right, enclosing pineapple mixture and raisins completely in dough. Fold bottom narrow end up and over, and secure with husk strips or kitchen string. Repeat procedure with remaining corn husks, dough, pineapple, and raisins.
6. Place 2 tamales side by side, seam sides inward and open ends facing same direction. Tie tamales together with kitchen string, securing bundles at top above dough. Repeat procedure with remaining tamales.
7. Arrange tamale bundles, open ends up, in a steamer basket over boiling water in a large Dutch oven. Cover and steam 35 minutes, adding more boiling water as needed. Remove tamales from Dutch oven, and let stand 5 minutes. Serve with Vanilla Sauce and Mexican Chocolate Sauce.
-SYLVIA CALVANO, HOOVER, ALABAMA
Note: For testing purposes only, we used Masa Brosa Harina de Maiz Instant Corn Masa.
Vanilla Sauce
MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP; PREP: 10 MIN., COOK: 5 MIN.
¾ cup whipping cream
½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
Pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise ___________
1 Tbsp. butter
1. Combine whipping cream and next 4 ingredients in a small saucepan. Carefully scrape seeds from vanilla bean into saucepan. Add vanilla bean to saucepan, and cook mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly, until smooth (about 2 minutes). Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, whisking constantly, 2 to 3 minutes or until thickened.
2. Remove saucepan from heat. Carefully remove vanilla bean. Stir in butter until melted. Serve immediately. Store sauce in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 5 days.
Note: To reheat, warm sauce in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring in 1 to 2 tsp. whipping cream as needed to thin sauce.
Mexican Chocolate Sauce
MAKES ABOUT 1½ CUPS; PREP: 5 MIN., COOK: 3 MIN.
2 (4-4-oz.) packages Mexican chocolate, broken into pieces
¾ cup whipping cream
2 tsp. Light brown sugar
Pinch of salt
1 Tbsp. butter
1. Combine chocolate, whipping cream, brown sugar, and salt in a small saucepan. Cook, whisking occasionally, over low heat until mixture is smooth and chocolate is melted (about 3 minutes). Remove from heat. Whisk in butter until melted. Serve immediately.
Note: For testing purposes only, we used Nestlé Abuelita Marqueta Mexican Chocolate.
© 2008 Southern Progress Corporation Provided by ProQuest LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright 2008 Southern Living
