Sweet Strawberry Tamales
A beloved childhood classic. These vibrant pink tamales are incredibly soft and airy, infused with vanilla and loaded with pockets of real strawberry bliss.
95 min
Medium
Mexicana
4 servings
The story behind
This recipe brings back so much sweet nostalgia! It takes me straight to Sunday mornings when my grandmother would wake us up with the rich aroma of the tamal steamer on the stove. While everyone else scrambled for the spicy ones, I always made a line for the strawberry tamal. She taught me that the ultimate secret to getting them perfectly fluffy and light is whipping the dough with love until a small dollop floats in a glass of water. They are absolute heaven for a cozy late-night snack or a slow morning breakfast. Pair them with a warm cup of vanilla atole or a traditional café de olla with just a hint of piloncillo sugar.
Instructions
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1In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light, creamy, and pale.
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2In a separate bowl, whisk together the corn masa flour and baking powder.
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3Gradually add the flour mixture into the beaten butter, alternating with splashes of warm milk or water. Knead with your hands until a cohesive dough forms.
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4Mix in the vanilla extract and pink food coloring. Beat the dough vigorously until it feels light, airy, and the color is evenly distributed.
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5Gently fold in the diced fresh strawberries, making sure they are scattered evenly throughout the dough.
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6Take a softened corn husk and spread about two generous tablespoons of dough onto the wider bottom half, leaving some space at the edges.
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7Fold the sides of the husk towards the center, then fold the narrow top tail upwards to secure the tamal shut.
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8Stand the tamales upright in a steamer pot over boiling water. Cover with extra husks or a clean cloth, put the lid on, and steam over medium heat for 60 minutes. They are done when the dough easily pulls away from the husk cleanly.
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