Chocolate Raspberry Tamale

Chocolate Raspberry Tamale
I made up this recipe on the fly at my last Tamale Making Workshop and it came out pretty darn good if I say so myself!

INGREDIENTS
7 cps Prepared Masa
2 cps Instant or Ground Mexican Hot Chocolate (Ibarra or Abuelita)
1 cp Sugar
1/2 cp Water or Milk
1 tbsp Vanilla
Raspberry Preserves
Chocolate Chips
Pecans (optional)
24 - 36 Corn Husks, washed & soaked for 2 hours

DIRECTIONS
Beat masa, hot chocolate, sugar and water together in a large mixing bowl until smooth.  Spread masa onto a corn husk in a square. Leave two inches clear on the narrow end of the husk and a minimum of one inch on the widest side of the husk. Spoon raspberry preserves down the middle and sprinkle chocolate chips on top keeping the fillings in the middle section. Add 2-3 pecans if desired. Fold husk over so the masa covers the fillings. Use the top of the corn husk to push the masa back, then roll it to close. Fold up the narrow end of the tamale. Place open side up in steamer for 25-35mins or until masa pulls from husk.

Serve warm with whipped cream or by itself
Makes 2-3 dozen tamales

Lovely Lemon Meringue Pie

Growing up I had a neighbor who lived across the street named Eleanor Platt. She was from the midwest and had a overflowing lemon tree in her backyard. She taught me how to make real pies from scratch. Her pie crust was perfectly flaky and tasty! Although I must admit I just buy pre-made crust now but I concentrate on making the fillings fabulous!

Lovely Lemon Meringue Pie

Ingredients
Lemon Filling:

* 4 egg yolks (reserve whites for meringue)
* 1/3 cup cornstarch
* 1 1/2 cups water
* 1 cup sugar (add more if you like it really sweet)
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 1/2 cup fresh squeezed Meyers lemon juice
* 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
* 1 (9-inch) par-baked pie shell (I like Mrs Smith)
Meringue Topping (see below)

Directions
Preheat oven to 400º F.

Bake pie shell for half the time the instructions suggest and set aside. Whisk egg yolks in medium size mixing bowl and set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine cornstarch, sugar, and salt. Place saucepan on medium heat and add water, lemon juice, and zest. Whisk until well combined and stir constantly bringing mixture to a boil. Boil for a couple minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and gradually add hot mixture to egg yolks and stir until you have added at least half of the mixture.

Return egg mixture to saucepan and butter, turn heat down to medium and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 more minute. Pour mixture into par-baked pie shell and top with meringue while filling is still hot. Make sure meringue completely covers filling and that it goes right up to the edge of the crust. Bake on cookie sheet for 10 to 12 minutes or until meringue is golden. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Make sure pie is cool and set completely before slicing.

Meringue Topping:
* 4 egg whites
* 1 pinch salt
* 1/2 cup sugar

Place egg whites and salt in bowl and beat with mixer until peaks form. Gradually add sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Use to top lemon filling.

Make one 9" pie

Notes:
Make sure to not get a speck of yolk in your egg whites before beating or it will not rise.

I prefer Meyers lemons for flavor. They taste like a cross between a citrus lemon and a sweet mandarin orange. If you can't get Meyers lemons substitute a little orange juice

You can add up to 1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar to the Lemon filling if you prefer your pies really sweet.

Roll lemon across counter before juicing to extract maximum juices.

Use Baker's sugar for a smoother filling

Sprinkle sliced almonds on top of meringue prior to baking for an extra crunch.

Chocolate Fondue

You will need:
12 oz pkg Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
1/2 cp Half n' Half
3 tbls Kahlua

Mix all ingredients and heat over double boiler. Simple & Sweet!

Fondue Set
To keep fondue at the perfect temperature, add your own tea light to the candle burner of this elegant set. Included are a 24-ounce ceramic pot, and metal stand, 61/2H" overall and four metal forks, 9"L. Pot, 3"D x 5 1/4" diameter overall.

Pumpkin Tamale

(from Tamara's Tamales)
This recipe recently won first prize in our annual tamale tasting contest and was a hands down favorite with all of our judges! Tamara was gracious enough to share her simple and tasty recipe with us from her new book Tamales 101.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 -15 cups fresh masa
• 1 Can (1.10oz) pumpkin puree
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp ground mace
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 cups raisins dark or golden
• 36-48 dry corn husks
• Soaked washed and drained plus more for ties

DIRECTIONS
Place the prepared masa in a large bowl. Combine the masa, pumpkin, and sugar then and add vanilla, mace, cinnamon, and raisin and mix well until well- blended. To assemble the tamales place 2-3 heaping tbsp in the center of the smooth side of the corn husk. Fold sides of the husk in to the center and ties the tamales at both ends with corn husk ties.


Prick the husk several times using the tip of a sharp knife. Steam for 45-50 minutes. Makes 3-4 dozen.


Serve Warm topped with whipped cream or caramel sauce.



http://www.tamarastamales.com
Order Tamales 101 now!

Pumkin Apple Pie

I got this slightly altered recipe off a Libby's pumpkin can years ago and was hooked on the sweet twist of apple butter. I didn't even know what apple butter was at that time but eventually located it near the jams & preserves.


INGREDIENTS:

1 cup apple butter
1 cup fresh or canned pumpkin
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
3 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell
Whipped cream, for garnish

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat Oven to 425º
Combine apple butter, pumpkin, sugar, salt and spices in a bowl. Stir in eggs. Gradually add milk and mix well. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Cover crust edges with foil to keep from burning. Bake for about 40 minutes or until set. This pie is best served slightly warm with whipped cream or ice cream sprinkly with candied pecans.

Bunuelos

There is a simple way to make bunuelos. Buy flour tortillas, fry them and sprinkle with sugar. I must say I am strongly opposed to this method but do as you wish. Here is, I think, the superior and proper way...

INGREDIENTS
4 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp Salt

Topping:
1 cup sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS
Heat canola or vegetable oil in a shallow skillet until hot.(350 degrees)

Beat together eggs and sugar until thick and lemon colored. Add flour baking powder and salt to egg mixture. Knead dough on flour coat cutting board until smooth. Divide dough into 16 equal balls with floured hands. Let sit for 20 minutes. Roll out on floured board into round 5 - 7" tortilla shapes.

Drop flat into hot oil, brown lightly about 30 seconds on each side. Remove from skillet and sprinkle to taste with topping mixture of cinnamon and sugar.

Flan de Comote

In the islands off the coast of Yucatan and Honduras the sweet potato was called axi and batatas or betatas by the natives. It was taken to Spain around 1500 and several varieties were cultivated there ranging in color from white to bright purple. The more common orange sweet potato is used here (not to be confused with a yam) and is a nutritional powerhouse supplying an impressive amount of vitamin A, C, B6, calcium, dietary fiber, potassium and iron.

INGREDIENTS
2 medium-size sweet potatoes
or 1 cup canned sweet potatoes
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 (14-ounce) cans sweet condensed milk
2 cups milk
10 large eggs
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

INGREDIENTS
Bake sweet potatoes at 400*F (205*C) for 1 hour or until tender; cool to touch. Peel and mash; reserve 1 cup mashed sweet potato.Sprinkle sugar in a 10-inch round cakepan. Place over medium heat, and cook, shaking pan constantly, until sugar melts and turns a light golden brown. Remove from heat; set aside. (Mixture may crack slightly as it cools.)

Process 1/2 cup sweet potato, 1 can condensed milk, and half of next 6 ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides; pour into a large bowl. Repeat procedure; whisk until combined. Pour mixture over caramelized sugar; cover with aluminum foil, and place in a large shallow pan. Pour hot water into larger pan to a depth of 1/2-inch.

Bake at 325*F (160*C) for 1 hour and 10 to 15 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Remove pan from water, and uncover; run a knife around edge of pan to loosen and prevent flan from cracking. Cool on a wire rack 30 minutes; cover and chill at least 8 hours. Run a knife around edge of flan again to loosen; invert onto a serving plate.

Makes 1 (10-inch) flan.

Pan de Muerto

In celebration of Mexico's Day of the Dead, this bread is often shaped into skulls or round loaves with strips of dough rolled out and attached to resemble bones.

Ingredients:

* 1/2 cup butter
* 1/2 cup milk
* 1/2 cup water
* 5 to 5-1/2 cups flour
* 2 packages dry yeast
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 tablespoon whole anise seed
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 4 eggs

Directions:

In a saucepan over medium flame, heat the butter, milk and water until very warm but not boiling.

Meanwhile, measure out 1-1/2 cups flour and set the rest aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine the 1-1/2 cups flour, yeast, salt, anise seed and sugar. Beat in the warm liquid until well combined. Add the eggs and beat in another 1 cup of flour. Continue adding more flour until dough is soft but not sticky. Knead on lightly floured board for ten minutes until smooth and elastic.

Lightly grease a bowl and place dough in it, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1-1/2 hours. Punch the dough down and shape into loaves resembling skulls, skeletons or round loaves with "bones" placed ornamentally around the top. Let these loaves rise for 1 hour.

Bake in a preheated 350 F degree oven for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and paint on glaze.
Glaze

* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
* 2 tablespoons grated orange zest

Bring to a boil for 2 minutes, then apply to bread with a pastry brush.

If desired, sprinkle on colored sugar while glaze is still damp.

Capirotada (Bread Pudding)

Traditionally, this old-fashioned bread pudding, served during Holy Week, is filled with cheese, apples, peanuts and raisins. Although the traditionalists scold me for doing so, I like to substitute dates and pecans.

INGREDIENTS
2 cups Brown Sugar or Large Piloncillo
1 cup of Water
1 3" Cinnamon Stick
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 Loaf of French Bread or 4–5 Bolillos
1 ½ cups Nuts (pick and choose; pine nuts, slivered almonds and chopped walnuts, peanuts, pecans)
1 cup raisins (or whatever dry fruit you like)
½ lb. Jack Cheese cubed or Queso Fresco crumbled
1 Tart Apple
Ice Cream or Whipped Cream


DIRECTIONS
Boil brown sugar, water, cinnamon and vanilla until slightly thickened in sauce pan. Discard cinnamon stick. Cut bread into ½ inch slices toast slighted in oven with butter in 9" X 13" pan. Alternate layers of bread, cheese, nuts and apple with brown sugar mixture. Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes or until thorughly heated. Serve warm into individual bowls with ice cream or whipped cream.