Categories: Sweet Potatoes, Tamales

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
• 2 Tbsp firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, scrubbed and halved lengthwise
• 1/4 cup lard or additional butter
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 1/4 cups dehydrated masa flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 2 canned chipotle chiles, drained and minced
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. 20 dried corn husks, soaked (see notes)

2. In a small bowl, mix butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Set sweet potato halves, cut side up, in a baking dish, and rub cut sides equally with butter mixture. Bake in a 350° oven until soft when pressed, about 1 hour.

3. Scoop flesh from sweet potatoes (discard skins) into a bowl; mash with a fork until smooth.

4. In a 1 to 2 quart pan over low heat, melt lard. Pour in chicken broth and stir until warm. Add broth mixture to sweet potatoes; mix well. Gradually add masa flour, stirring until well blended. Stir in baking powder and chipotles and season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Tear 3 or 4 corn husks into long, thin strips. Lay a whole husk flat on a work surface, smooth side down, with one long edge closest to you. Spoon a scant 1/3 cup filling lengthwise down center of husk. Fold bottom edge over filling and roll up tamale. Tie each end with a thin strip of husk. Repeat until all filling is used.

6. In an 8 to 10 quart pan, position a rack at least 1 inch above 1 inch of water; bring to a boil over high heat. Set tamales on rack, lower heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and steam until filling is firm, about 1 hour, adding water to pan as needed to maintain 1-inch depth. Remove tamales and let stand at least 10 minutes before serving.

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