Pink Sweet Tamales (Tamales de Dulce)
Sweet masa beaten with whipped lard and sugar, tinted pale pink and studded with raisins, steamed in corn husks and eaten with hot atole or champurrado.
Tamaleros on the street corners of Mexican cities sell a pink sweet tamal with raisins every day. México Desconocido explains the pieces: lard and cane sugar arrived with the Spanish and gave the tamal its fluffy texture and sweetness, raisins came by way of convent kitchens, and the pink first came from cochineal, a red dye made from an insect, which turned the white dough pink and let buyers spot the sweet tamal among the savory ones. Today the color usually comes from red food coloring.
Sweet tamales are one of the four kinds most often served on Día de la Candelaria, February 2. Custom says whoever finds the little baby figure in the Rosca de Reyes on January 6 owes tamales on Candelaria (La Razón, February 1, 2020:). Uno TV's Candelaria recipe below is the traditional fresh-masa version.
Why it works the kitchen science
Whip, then fold
Beating the lard alone first and folding it into the sweetened masa keeps the sugar from weighing down the air in the fat, so the tamales stay soft and cakey.
Sugar keeps them tender
A lot of sugar in the dough holds moisture as the masa steams, which is why sweet tamales stay soft even after resting.
Step by step
- Step 1
Soak the husks in hot water 30 minutes, until pliable. Drain and pat dry.
- Step 2
Beat the lard with the baking powder 3 to 5 minutes, until white and airy.
- Step 3
In a large bowl, work the masa and water together by hand until smooth. Mix in the sugar, most of the raisins and a few drops of coloring, until evenly pale pink.
- Step 4
Fold the whipped lard into the masa until there are no streaks. If you like, drop 1/2 tsp into cold water; light, well-beaten masa floats.
- Step 5
Spoon about 1/3 cup dough onto the wide part of each husk and spread it gently. Press a few of the saved raisins on top, fold the sides over without squeezing and fold the narrow end up.
- Step 6
Stand the tamales upright on their folded ends in a husk-lined steamer over simmering water. Once steam is coming out, cover and steam 1 hour over medium heat, adding boiling water as needed.
- Step 7
Test one: done when the husk pulls away cleanly. If not, steam 10 to 15 minutes more. Rest 20 minutes off the heat before serving with atole or champurrado.
Pink Sweet Tamales (Tamales de Dulce)
Serves 9 (2 tamales each) · about 18 tamales · 2 hr 5 min total
- 18 large dried corn husks, plus extras for lining the steamer
- 1 1/4 cups lard
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 2 lb (1 kg) fresh masa for tamales, or 3 3/4 cups masa harina mixed with about 2 1/2 cups hot water and cooled
- 1 1/3 cups water (use less if you started from masa harina)
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1/4 cup raisins
- A few drops red food coloring (optional)
Method
- Soak the husks in hot water 30 minutes, until pliable. Drain and pat dry.
- Beat the lard with the baking powder 3 to 5 minutes, until white and airy.
- In a large bowl, work the masa and water together by hand until smooth. Mix in the sugar, most of the raisins and a few drops of coloring, until evenly pale pink.
- Fold the whipped lard into the masa until there are no streaks. If you like, drop 1/2 tsp into cold water; light, well-beaten masa floats.
- Spoon about 1/3 cup dough onto the wide part of each husk and spread it gently. Press a few of the saved raisins on top, fold the sides over without squeezing and fold the narrow end up.
- Stand the tamales upright on their folded ends in a husk-lined steamer over simmering water. Once steam is coming out, cover and steam 1 hour over medium heat, adding boiling water as needed.
- Test one: done when the husk pulls away cleanly. If not, steam 10 to 15 minutes more. Rest 20 minutes off the heat before serving with atole or champurrado.
Adapted from Uno TV, "Si te salió el muñeco en la rosca, haz fácilmente tus tamales de dulce para este Día de la Candelaria", option 2, the traditional version. Its amounts for about 18 tamales, its 3 to 5 minute lard whip, its 1 hour steam and 20 minute rest. The 30 minute husk soak is from the same article's option 1. The masa harina conversion, the float test step and the serving count are ours. Uno TV. Ingredient list follows the source; the method is in our own words.
All sources (3)
Tips
- Uno TV's quicker option uses tamal flour, softened butter, warm milk, vanilla and cinnamon instead of lard and water, and steams 60 to 75 minutes.
- Go easy with the coloring: the target is the soft pink of the street-cart tamal, not red.
- Swap some raisins for chopped pecans or candied pineapple if you like; Uno TV suggests raisins or nuts.
The rules people argue about
What the sources agree on, what they don't, and what is just a good story.
- The pink came from cochineal. Documented by México Desconocido; today most cooks use red food coloring.
- Whoever gets the baby in the rosca owes tamales on February 2. Documented as custom (La Razón).
- Candelaria tamales go back to the Aztec calendar. Folklore: La Razón says February 2 falls on a day of the Aztec year when gods of rain and water were honored and ties tamales to that, but gives no historian; it is a story, not a record.
- Raisins came to Mexico through convent kitchens. Folklore: México Desconocido says so without a citation.
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Pork shoulder simmered down in a smooth guajillo chile sauce, wrapped in light, fluffy lard-beaten masa and steamed upright in corn husks, the central Mexican way.
Green Chicken Tamales (Tamales Verdes de Pollo)
Shredded chicken in a tangy tomatillo and serrano salsa verde, tucked into masa beaten fluffy with lard and chicken broth and steamed in corn husks.
Oaxacan Black Mole Tamales in Banana Leaves
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Rajas con Queso Tamales (Poblano and Cheese)
Strips of roasted poblano chile and melting cheese tucked into lard-beaten masa and steamed in corn husks, the vegetarian tamal at every tamalada.
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Chili-spiced ground sirloin, black beans, tomatoes and cheddar under a quick cornbread batter, baked right in the skillet in about 15 minutes.
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