Sweet Cinnamon Tamal

Preheat oven to 325°. Lightly coat an 8x8" metal baking pan with nonstick spray. Whisk masa, baking powder, salt, and 1 tsp. cinnamon in a medium bowl.

Step 2

Pulse corn kernels in a blender or food processor until very coarsely puréed, just a few seconds should do it.

Step 3

Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and raw sugar until pale and slightly fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in corn purée and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and beat in dry ingredients; mix until batter is smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape into prepared pan and cover tightly with foil. Set baking pan inside a large roasting pan; pour in boiling water to come halfway up sides of baking pan.

Step 4

Bake tamal until top springs back when lightly pressed and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 75–85 minutes. Let cool slightly in pan before serving.

Step 5

Mix crème fraîche and ⅔ cup queso fresco in a small bowl. Scoop tamal onto plates and top with crème fraîche mixture, more queso fresco, and a dusting of cinnamon.

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Sweet Cinnamon Tamal

By

Daniela Soto-Innes

Baking a single large-format tamal may not be traditional, but it produces a similarly tender, moist, barely sweet cake with pudding vibes.

Yield

8

Rating

—

Ingredients

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

1½ cups masa harina (masa flour), preferably Bob’s Red Mill

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon, plus more for serving

4 ears of corn, husked, kernels removed, or 4 cups frozen, thawed

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

½ cup raw or demerara sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup crème fraîche

⅔ cup crumbled queso fresco, plus more for serving

Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 325°. Lightly coat an 8x8" metal baking pan with nonstick spray. Whisk masa, baking powder, salt, and 1 tsp. cinnamon in a medium bowl.

Step 2

Pulse corn kernels in a blender or food processor until very coarsely puréed, just a few seconds should do it.

Step 3

Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and raw sugar until pale and slightly fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in corn purée and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and beat in dry ingredients; mix until batter is smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape into prepared pan and cover tightly with foil. Set baking pan inside a large roasting pan; pour in boiling water to come halfway up sides of baking pan.

Step 4

Bake tamal until top springs back when lightly pressed and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 75–85 minutes. Let cool slightly in pan before serving.

Step 5

Mix crème fraîche and ⅔ cup queso fresco in a small bowl. Scoop tamal onto plates and top with crème fraîche mixture, more queso fresco, and a dusting of cinnamon.

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