SWEET CINNAMON TAMAL

Sweet Cinnamon Tamal image

Provided by Daniela Soto-Innes

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 1/2 cups masa harina (masa flour), preferably Bob's Red Mill
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon, plus more for serving
4 ears of corn, husked, kernels removed, or 4 cups frozen, thawed
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup raw or demerara sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup crème fraîche
2/3 cup crumbled queso fresco, plus more for serving

Steps:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly coat an 8x8" metal baking pan with nonstick spray. Whisk masa, baking powder, salt, and 1 tsp. cinnamon in a medium bowl.
Pulse corn kernels in a blender or food processor until very coarsely puréed, just a few seconds should do it.
Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and raw sugar until pale and slightly fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in corn purée and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and beat in dry ingredients; mix until batter is smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape into prepared pan and cover tightly with foil. Set baking pan inside a large roasting pan; pour in boiling water to come halfway up sides of baking pan.
Bake tamal until top springs back when lightly pressed and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 75-85 minutes. Let cool slightly in pan before serving.
Mix crème fraîche and 2/3 cup queso fresco in a small bowl. Scoop tamal onto plates and top with crème fraîche mixture, more queso fresco, and a dusting of cinnamon.