Tamales de Elote (Sweet Corn Tamales)

Ingredients

• 2.2 lb corn kernels (About 5 or 6 ears of corn; remove kernels from the cobs. Use fresh corn.)
• 0.5 cup butter (Softened and at room temperature)
• 0.5 cup granulated sugar
• 0.5 cup masa harina (Maseca or another brand)
• 0.5 cup cornmeal
• 0.5 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• fresh corn husks (For wrapping the tamales. Use two or three husks per tamal if the husks are too small; dried husks may be soaked in hot water until pliable.)
• water (For the steamer; add more as necessary during steaming.)

Steps

1. 1

   Cut off both ends of each corn ear.

2. 2

   Using a sharp knife, remove the kernels by cutting from the base downward with a gentle sawing motion.

3. 3

   Working in batches, place the corn kernels in a food processor or blender and grind them into a paste. For a more rustic, fluffy texture, do not puree the corn completely smooth.

4. 4

   Transfer the ground corn to a large bowl. If the mixture is too runny, place it in a colander and let it drain for a couple of minutes.

5. 5

   Mix the softened butter and sugar until the mixture is fluffy and white.

6. 6

   Add the butter-and-sugar mixture, masa harina, and cornmeal to the bowl with the fresh corn.

7. 7

   Mix until everything is well combined.

8. 8

   Place about 3 tablespoons of the corn mixture in the center of a corn husk.

9. 9

   Fold the left side of the husk over the right side to form a tube. Fold the bottom upward to secure the tamal.

10. 10

    Arrange the tamales upright on the rack of a steamer, keeping the open sides facing upward.

11. 11

    Steam for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the tamales are done. Check the steamer during cooking and add more water whenever necessary.

12. 12

    To test for doneness, carefully open one tamal, place a little of the dough on a plate, and let it cool for about 2 minutes. It is ready when the dough is firm and spongy and separates easily from the husk.

Notes

The structured recipe lists a cook time of 80 minutes, while the steaming instruction specifies 1 hour and 30 minutes; follow the tamales' texture and separation from the husk as the final doneness check. If the dough is too runny, the source suggests adjusting it with 2–3 tablespoons of additional cornmeal or masa harina. Optional flavor additions mentioned by the source are a pinch of cinnamon powder and 1–2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.

Nutrition per serving

• breakfast
• dessert
• vegetarian
• Mexican
• steamed
• gluten-free adaptable
• sweet tamales
• family-friendly