Rick Bayless'S Chocolate Tamale
- 1 8-ounce package dried corn husks
- 9 ounces Mexican chocolate (1 1/2 cups pulverized)
- 10 ounces (1 1/3 cups) unsalted butter slightly softened but not at all runny
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 pounds (about 4 cups) fresh coarse-ground corn masa for tamales
- OR 3 1/2 cups dried masa harina for tamales mixed with 2 1/4 cups hot water
- 1 cup milk or water
- 2/3 cup coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate (optional)
- For serving, optional:
- Assorted fresh berries, custard sauce, mint sprigs
- Cover husks with hot water and keep them submerged for a few hours until husks are pliable.
- Use 24 husks-at least 6" across on the wide end and 6-7". long. Pat dry.
- Grind chocolate. Makes approx 1 1/2 cups ground. Mix butter, chocolate, sugar, salt and baking powder on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Keep beating as you add masa in three additions.
- Reduce speed to medium-low, add milk or water. Beat until a 1/2-teaspoon of batter floats cold water, about 1 minute. Batter should hold its shape in a spoon.
- Refrigerate batter for an hour or so, then rebeat, adding additional milk or water to bring batter to the soft consistency it had before.
- Line rack of the steamer with leftover corn husks to protect tamales from direct contact with the steam. Leave tiny spaces between husks so condensing steam can drain off.
- Cut 24- 10" pieces of string. Lay out a corn husk with the skinnier end toward you. Spread 1/4 cup of batter into a 4" square, leaving at least a 1 1/2" border on the side toward you and a 3/4" border along the other sides (with large husks, the borders will be much bigger).
- Pick up 2 long sides of corn husk and bring together. If uncovered borders of the 2 long sides you're holding are narrow, tuck one side under the other; if wide, then roll both sides in the same direction around the tamale. Fold up the empty 1 1/2" section of the husk (to form a tightly closed "bottom," leaving the top open). Loosely tie string around tamale.
- Place tamales on their folded bottoms in the prepared steamer. Don't tie tamales too tight or pack them too close in the steamer. Steam tamales in batches.
- Cover tamales with a layer of corn husks. Cover and steam over medium heat for about 1 1/4 hours. Watch carefully that water doesn't boil away.
- Tamales are done when husk peels away from the masa easily. Let tamales stand in steamer off the heat for a few minutes to firm up. Cool completely. Re-steam 15 minutes to heat through.
corn husks, chocolate, butter, sugar, salt, baking powder, coarseground, tamales, milk, semisweet chocolate, fresh berries
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/rick-baylesss-chocolate-tamale-50042474 (may not work)