Dessert Tamales: Pineapple or Peanut Butter Banana

What's not to LOVE about a rich, sweet dessert tamale?! I filled a sweetened masa dough with two lovely fillings, both simple, both utterly delicious. There was no clear consensus on which type we liked best. I used a caramel sauce with both but you can choose a raspberry or chocolate sauce or no sauce at all!

Dessert Tamale Dough
2 cups masa harina
1 1/2 cups hot water
2/3 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup raw sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2/3 cup evaporated milk
Pour hot water over masa harina and mix with hands until mixture forms a ball. Let rest 15 minutes. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, beat the coconut oil on high until fluffy. Add the sugar, salt and baking powder then beat again. While the mixer is running, add about 1/4 cup of the masa and 2 tablespoons of the milk at a time. Beat well after each addition, stopping to scrap the bowl as needed. Continue to beat the dough on high speed for 15 minutes. It should resemble a thick brownie batter. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour.

Pineapple Tamales
dried corn husks
10 to 12 fresh pineapple spears, 4 to 5 inches by 1 1/2 inches by 1/4 inch
1/2 batch chilled Dessert Tamale Dough
Caramel sauce for serving, optional
Soak corn husks in warm water for 20 minutes while preparing the pineapple spears. Take one husk and place on work surface. Spread approximately 3 tablespoons of the dough on the husk leaving 1/2 inch on sides and top. Leave 1 1/2 inches on the bottom. Place pineapple spear in the center and wrap the dough over by lifting the husk sides to meet in the middle. Slightly press the dough together and seal the husk by folding the bottom up along the center seam. Place seam side down. Repeat with the remaining dough. Heat a large pot of water fitted with a steamer to boiling. Place some extra corn husks in the bottom of the steamer to protect the tamales from contact with the boiling water. Stack the tamales upright or at an upright angle so that the juices won't drip out of the open end. Steam for 1 hour. Serve warm with caramel sauce.

Peanut Butter Banana Tamales
dried corn husks
1/2 batch Dessert Tamale Dough, chilled
4 tablespoons chunky peanut butter
2 medium size bananas
48 milk chocolate chips
Caramel sauce for serving, optional
Soak the corn husks in warm water for 20 minutes. Cut the bananas in half then the halves into quarters so that they are long and slender pieces. Place one corn husk on work surface. Spread approximately 3 tablespoons of the dough on the corn husk, leaving 1/2 inch on sides and top. Leave 1 1/2 inch on the bottom. Place 1 teaspoon peanut butter down the center of the tamale. Place 1 piece of the banana on the peanut butter and 4 chocolate chips along side it. Pull sides of husk together to seal the tamale then fold the bottom of the husk up along the seam and place seam side down. Repeat with the remaining dough. Heat a large pot of water fitted with a steamer to boiling. Place some extra corn husks in the bottom of the steamer to protect the tamales from contact with the boiling water. Stack the tamales upright or at an upright angle. Steam for 1 hour. Serve warm with caramel sauce.

Hints: You could use almond milk to make these dairy free. The dough needs to be light and fluffy so don't under beat. It is much easier to spread out if it is chilled. Dip your fingers in water and spread it out in as even a layer as possible. Check one of the tamales in the center of the stack to see if the husk pulls away cleanly after an hour of steaming, cook another 10 minutes if it doesn't, then check again. The narrow end of the pineapple and banana fit better at the bottom of the tamales. Chopping the pineapple into small pieces would work fine too. Be sure that the dough meets in the middle to fully encase the filling. I pile a bunch of the extra husks under on end of the stack to elevate it. These keep well in the fridge for a few days; just pop them in the microwave for a minute with the husks on to re-heat and eat.

Tamales are on my radar. What a great concept: packets of fabulousness just waiting to be devoured! They have been a real hit at my table, both the sweet and savory varieties. They are so versatile, accepting nearly any filling you can think of with grace and aplomb. Let me know what you think would be an incredible filling for further experimentation because I am in the TAMALE ZONE!