Pina Colada Tamales Recipes

PINA COLADA TAMALES

Steps:

• Use a food processor to finely chop the dried banana; combine the banana, almonds and coconut in a bowl.
• Use 2 husks to make strips for tying the tamales.
• Take about 1 cup of the pineapple and puree it with the fruit juice and brown sugar.
• Cream the shortening and sugar.
• In a separate bowl, mix together the masa and salt.
• Alternately add the masa and juice to the creamed shortening to make a firm dough; beat in the baking powder last.
• Assembly: Spread 1 tablespoon filling in the center of a husk; sprinkle 1 to 2 teaspoons of the banana/almond mixture over the dough and press a pineapple chunk into the dough.
• Spread another tablespoon of the dough over the the filling and fold and tie the tamale.
• Steam for about 1 hour 15 minutes.
• To Serve: Open the tamale and top with sauce, whipped cream, and lime zest.

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 PINEAPPLE 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.
• While corn husks are soaking, combine masa dough, baking soda, and water in a bowl. Knead until dough has a smooth and even consistency, adding more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, as needed. Take care not to add too much water.
• Beat butter, vegetable shortening, and sugar together in a second bowl with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Slowly add masa dough and knead until mixture has a uniform consistency. Mix in chopped pineapple.
• Spread about 1 tablespoon masa mixture onto a corn husk. Fold the bottom of the husk over the filling, then fold sides of husk together, one over the other. Finally fold the top of the husk into the tamale, making a little package. 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, then reduce heat to medium low. Add tamales with the open side up and cook covered until filling is heated through and separates from the husk, about 1 hour.

PINA' COLADA COCONUT TAMALES

Steps:

• Husk.
• Soak corn husks in hot water to cover 30 minutes. Separate husks, removing all red and brown corn threads and dirt.
• Masa.
• Combine masa 1 cup of shortening or margarine, 1 Table spoon brown sugar, ½ a cup of raisins, ½ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract into mixing bowl and water gradually. Combine and fold masa and shortening together. Fold shortening mixture for 2 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Mix masa and shortening until fluffy, add more water as needed.
• Test masa and consistency by taking a piece of the masa mixture and dropping it into a glass of warm water, and if it floats it is ready for use. Cover masa mixture with plastic wrap.
• Filling.
• Combine into a quart size simmering pan 2-20oz cans of diced pineapples, 1 cup coconut, 2 tablespoons of light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of nutmeg, 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon, 1 cup of raisins, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 2 cups of water. Boil mixture for 15 minutes then simmer for 10 minutes or until the mixture is thick and syrupy. Remove filling from the stove and cool.
• Using hands spread masa mixture on the inside of the corn (you can combine two husks together by over lapping one on the other for larger tamales.
• Spoon about 1 tablespoons pineapple down center the masa. Sprinkle with about 1 1/2 teaspoons raisins. Roll up husk, rolling left side over right. Fold bottom narrow end up and over, and secure with husk strips or kitchen string. Repeat procedure with remaining corn husks, masa, pineapple, and raisins.
• Using a small tamale pot or double boiler place water in pot and boil before adding tamales to cut down on cooking time. Once the water has started to boil place tamales side by side and stacking them in an orderly fashion and cook until the masa on the inside of the husk is firm but not tough.

SWEET ALMOND TAMALES WITH PASTRY CREAM

Steps:

• Combine 2 cups milk and 1 cup sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Whisk egg yolks and 2 tablespoons masa harina together in a bowl until well combined. Add to milk, stirring constantly, until pastry cream thickens, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to cool for 1 hour.
• 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.
• Place almonds in a heat-proof bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand for a few minutes until cool enough to handle. Slip the almonds out of their skins one by one, leaving the remaining almonds in the warm water. Drain almonds in a colander and finely chop.
• Beat 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter in a bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. Add 1 1/4 cups sugar and continue to beat until mixture is very fluffy. Add 2 cups masa harina and baking powder and continue mixing dough by hand. Add milk, 1/4 cup at a time, until dough has a soft and fluffy texture. Mix in rice flour and if necessary, add more milk. Keep kneading dough until it is smooth and moist. Add almonds and continue kneading until dough is smooth and elastic.
• Select 1 wide corn husk or 2 small ones. Spread about 2 tablespoons of dough onto the the corn husk, filling it up to 2 inches from the bottom and 1/4 inch from the top. Add 1 tablespoon of pastry cream down the center of the dough. 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 and 15 minutes. Let tamales rest for 15 minutes before serving.

SWEET TAMALES WITH PINEAPPLE AND COCONUT

Steps:

• Place corn husks in a bowl, cover with boiling water, and soak for about 3 hours. Drain, place on a work surface, and cover with a clean, damp towel.
• Combine pineapple, water, and sugar in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until pineapple is very soft, 7 to 10 minutes. Drain.
• Mix masa dough with butter and baking powder in a bowl until well combined. Add cooked pineapple, coconut, and raisins; knead into a smooth dough.
• Select 1 wide corn husk or 2 small ones. Spread about 1 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 45 minutes. Let tamales stand for 15 minutes before serving.