Sweet Tamales - Isabel Eats {Easy Mexican Recipes} (2024)

FAQs

What are sweet tamales made of? ›

Sweet tamales are unique, delicious, and a fun project for holiday desserts or breakfasts. Using fresh red corn masa flour or homemade nixtamal, the flavors of heirloom corn come through beautifully and compliment the two filling options suggested below: fig jam and dried figs or raspberries and dark chocolate.

While you can eat a cooked tamale cold, the corn masa will probably feel thick and dry so hot tamales are going to be ideal. The tamale should already be cooked, but if it has been cooled, you can give it a brief steam or pop it in the microwave to warm it up.

Tamales are a traditional Mexican dish made using a nixtamalized corn dough called “masa.” The masa is spread onto a corn husk or banana leaf and then filled with a variety of sweet or savory ingredients, including meats, cheeses, peppers, fruits, or other ingredients.

Tamales verdes.

The bright, herbal and spicy mix of tomatillo and green chilies pair up with chicken or pork to create the most popular tamal, whether it comes wrapped in corn or plantain.

Sweet tamales are a Mexican dessert made from a sweet masa corn dough and filled with a variety of fruit, nut and sugary fillings. Common fillings include raisins, pineapples, fruit preserves, cajeta and dulce de leche.

They are great to eat with family and friends accompanied with atole or hot chocolate on a cool day. That said, you can eat these pretty much any time and you will be happy! On the Dia de la Candelaria, everywhere you look is filled with tamales, sweet and savory.

Add some salsa or mole for extra flavor.

Pour your condiment of choice directly onto the unwrapped tamale or dip it to control how much you get with each bite. Feel free to substitute your own favorite salsa recipes, such as black bean and corn, mango-habanero, or chunky pico de gallo.

Experiment with different salsas, hot sauces, or toppings to enhance the taste according to your preferences. Tamales are often accompanied by side dishes such as rice, beans, or a fresh salad. Consider pairing your tamale with traditional drinks like horchata, tamarind juice, or a cold Mexican soda.

If husk is easily removed, tamales are fully cooked! Remove from heat and let sit, uncovered, 10 minutes. Serve with salsa and a squeeze of lime. Or just eat them by the dozen straight out of the pot like I do.

One of the biggest mistakes is not mixing the masa dough long enough; this causes the tamales to fall apart. Mix the masa dough, with an ELECTRIC MIXER, until a small amount (1 tsp) floats in a cup of water.

Are tamales healthy? ›

Tamales are full of nutrition thanks to their high fiber content, well-rounded macronutrient composition, and micronutrients. Filled varieties in particular make great meals since they're higher in protein. Therefore, they're wonderful foods to incorporate to promote your health.

But if you would like to add extra, I recommend: red salsa (either homemade or store-bought), green Salsa (either homemade or store-bought), enchilada sauce (this enchilada sauce recipe is my all-time fave), or mole.

Tamales continue to have great significance as a form of sustenance and as a symbolic element in Mexican and Mexican American cultures. Tamales are strongly associated with themes of unity, celebration, family, kinship, and community.

Tamal is a very popular and commonly consumed dish. In Mexico, it is common to eat tamales in the morning for breakfast and on some festivities. The most important day for eating tamales is: 'Dia de la Candelaria' (Candlemas Day on 2nd February).

The most popular flavors are chicken and pork, but tamale filling options are almost endless.

Any puree of corn cooked in a corn husk is called a tamal – sweet or savory, steamed or baked, cooked in an underground pit or pot. It can also be wrapped in banana leaf. All of these have their origin in MesoAmerica, primarily with the Aztecs.

At it's core, tamal is masa harina or dried corn dough steamed for 30-45 minutes in a corn husk and then topped with either sweet or savory fillings. The savory tamales are the most popular.

Binaki (IPA: [ˈbɪ. nɑ. kiʔ]) or pintos is a type of steamed corn sweet tamales from two regions in the Philippines – Bukidnon and Bogo, Cebu. They are distinctively wrapped in corn husks and are commonly sold as pasalubong and street food in Northern Mindanao and Cebu.

There are sweet tamales filled with fruits, savory tamales filled with meat or vegetables, and plain tamales with no filling at all. The most common tamales are made with nixtamalized corn.