Hola! I am Jeni from the blog Thyme & Love and I am so excited to be writing a guest post here on Dora’s Table! Before I share my recipe for these delicious and easy Vegan Tequila Truffles, I thought that I would give a little background about myself and my recipe inspiration.
I first discovered authentic Mexican food when I started dating my Husband Hector, who is from Mexico City. I immediately feel in love with the cuisine and culture of Mexico. I grew up in the Midwest and ate a pretty typical American diet. There wasn’t much variety and we never had true authentic Mexican food. I learned a few recipes and the basics of Mexican cuisine from Hector’s Mom Adela. Since I was already Vegan when I met Hector I began to research Mexican recipes that were naturally Vegan or that could easily be made Vegan.
I love traveling to Mexico as much as I can, especially to Mexico City. It is the first place that I visited in Mexico and it holds a special place in my heart. After Hector and I got married, we decided to move to Mexico City for awhile. It was one of the greatest experience of my life. On my blog, you’ll find that many of my recipes are inspired by Mexico.
Now, let’s talk about these Vegan Tequila Truffles. When Dora asked me to share a holiday recipe with you, I immediately knew that I wanted to share a Mexican inspired truffle recipe. Truffles are easy to make and perfect for the holiday season.
The Recipe: Vegan Tequila Truffles
The truffles start by melting dark chocolate in warmed coconut milk. You want to look for chocolate that is at least 70% cacao. After most of the chocolate has melted, the rich ganache is infused with Mexican vanilla and tequila. It is completely optional but for a little kick add chili powder to the ganache. I like to use guajillo chili powder.
After chilling the fridge for a few hours, the truffles are rolled into balls and then coated in cocoa powder.
You’ll find these Vegan Tequila Truffles to be rich, creamy, chocolaty and simple.
12oz.Vegan Dark Chocolate at least 70% Cacao,finely chopped
1pinchSea Salt
1/2tsp.Mexican Vanilla Extract
2tbsp.Tequila
¼-½tsp.Chili Powder, optional
1/4cupCocoa powder, for dusting
Preparation
In a medium saucepan heat the the coconut milk over medium heat. When the milk comes to a low boil add the chopped chocolate and continually stir until about ¾ of the chocolate has melted. Turn off the heat and add the pinch of salt, vanilla, tequila and chili powder if using. Keep stirring until all of the chocolate has melted.
Pour the chocolate into a loaf pan or shallow dish. Refrigerate for 2 hours, or until the chocolate is almost solid. If the chocolate is still wet in some spots continue chilling until firm.
Once the chocolate is chilled and firm, prepare a dish with the cocoa powder for rolling. Use a tablespoon sized scoop to scoop out small balls; I like to use a cookie scoop. Scoop out the tablespoon size balls then gently use your hands to roll into a round ball shape. Toss in cocoa powder to coat and shake off the excess. Transfer to a cookie sheet or pan lined with wax paper. Continue until all the chocolate has been scooped out. Depending on the size of the scoop, you should get about 14-16 truffles.
Enjoy the truffles right away or store in a tightly covered container in the fridge. Let the truffles come up to room temperature before serving, about 10-15 minutes.
Chef's Notes
It is completely optional but for a little kick add chili powder to the ganache. I like to use guajillo chili powder.
I have done it! After three failed attempts, here is the best vegan marranitos (Mexican piggy cookies) recipe ever. Ok, I might be a little too excited about this one, but hear me out. This is my favorite pan dulce, you can ask any of my family members, and they will be sure to tell you I have eaten many marranitos in my life! A marranito is a Mexican pastry shaped like a piggy. It can be soft like a sweet bread or more on the hard side like a cookie. This version is more like a pastry than a cookie. It is made with a combination of whole wheat and white flour and infused with a piloncillo, star anise, clove, and cinnamon syrup.
It took me so long to get the recipe right because I wanted it to be low-fat. I tried substituting the fat with beans and the result was as weird as it sounds. Then I tried substituting the fat with apple sauce and added a flax-egg, which was a big mistake because they turned out super gummy. I finally gave up and went with the apple sauce and 2 tbsp. of oil. I am pretty happy with the result. They taste just as they should, so much so, that the kids ate them so fast I hardly had time to photograph them. We dunked them in the thickest Mexican hot chocolate.
School starts this week in Hawaii and we are not ready for summer to end. After many weeks of deliberation we have decided to homeschool. We did not make this decision lightly, but I think this is the best choice for us right now. I am terrified and hopeful at the same time. We are getting everything set up and we should be ready to go in the next few weeks. The good thing is that we still have a lot of Hawaii to explore, so that will keep us very busy.
The Recipe: The Best Vegan Marranitos
I recommend eating the marranitos while they are still warm out of the oven and dunking them in hot chocolate or coffee. If you would like to make these with fat you can substitute the amount of apple sauce with vegan butter or coconut oil. Enjoy!
Place water, piloncillo, cinnamon, clove, and star anise in a medium sauce pot set to medium heat. Simmer slowly and stir until the piloncillo dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool.
In a large bowl, combine the whole wheat and all purpose flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Strain the piloncillo syrup into a medium bowl. Add the apple sauce and oil and mix well.
Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until the dough begin to comes together.
Use your hands to incorporate the dough together and form a ball. The dough will be on the wet side.
Cover in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for an hour or in the freezer for 30 min.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Remove the dough from the fridge and roll out on a floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness.
Use a large pig shaped cookie cutter to cut out the dough and place them on a parchment lined sheet tray.
Reform the dough scraps into a ball and roll out again to cut out more marranitos. Repeat this process until you cannot cut out any more.
Bake for 15 minutes or until the marranitos are golden brown on the bottom.
Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
Chef's Notes
These are best eaten warm out the oven or dunked in hot chocolate or coffee. If you would like to make these with fat substitute the apple sauce with vegan butter or coconut oil.
Corn Paletas? What kind of weird sorcery is this? When you think about it a little bit, it makes total sense. We tend to associate corn with savory, but what about corn muffins and corn bread. Corn can also be sweet. Corn is sweet, so why not make paletas out of it.
I didn’t come up with this myself though. Corn is a common flavor in the paleterias of Michoacan and Central Mexico, where you can find ice cream as well as paletas. The first time I had one I was a little thrown off by the visible chunks of corn, but the flavor won me out at the end. Kind of like the first time I had Korean shaved ice with sweet red beans. You will have to make them in order to decide whether you like them or not. One of my kids loved them, and the other hated them.
Cooking Mexican food in Hawaii hasn’t been to difficult. I have been able to find most of what I need at the regular grocery store, but dried chiles eluded me. I had to drive 40 minutes to the one Mexican grocery store in all of Oahu to find them. It turned out to be a little hole in the wall shop, and it became instantly smaller as soon as I brought my two kids in there. They were touching everything and running around like the crazy kids that they are. The lady, who I assume was the owner, was very nice, but I could tell she was worried about her livelihood with my kids in there. I picked up some dry chiles, spices, and some Mexican candy and ran out as quick as I could. It was a hot sticky day, so I bought two Jumex juices for the kids and we sat outside the shop to drink them. What is your favorite paleta flavor?
The Recipe: Corn Paletas
This recipe for corn paletas takes all the sweet goodness of corn and transforms it into a an icy treat, and they are super easy to make. I used almond milk to make these paletas, but you can use coconut milk for a more decadent version. If this is your first time making these I would recommend pureeing the mixture until it is completely smooth and straining it. Once you decide if you like them or not you can play around with the texture. Enjoy!
Place corn, almond milk, and sugar in a large pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Once it simmers, turn the heat off and take off the stove.
Let cool to room temperature.
Place mixture in the blender, add vanilla, and process until smooth. (You can leave chunky if that is your preference.)
Straining the mixture is completely optional.
Pour into popsicle molds and freeze for 5 hours.
Chef's Notes
If you are using popsicle molds without an insert, refrigerate popsicles for 45 min. then insert wooden popsicle sticks. You can use coconut milk for a more decadent version. If this is your first time making these I would recommend pureeing the mixture until it is completely smooth and straining it. Once you decide if you like them or not you can play around with the texture.
This vegan purple sweet potato ice cream is studded with chunks of fresh pineapple and toasted pecans. It is perfectly sweet and creamy, without all the fat of traditional ice cream.
There’s a beautiful Hawaiian purple sweet potato, also known as okinawan sweet potato, and it is incredibly sweet and full of fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. When I tried one for the first time all I could think about was that it was as sweet as candy. It turns out, there is also a purple sweet potato that is cultivated in Mexico. It is not the same variety, but I thought it would be fun to take something that both Hawaii and Mexico have in common and run with it.
This ice cream is also inspired by a famous Mexican candy called Camotes de Santa Clara. It is candied sweet potato (purple, yellow, or orange) and citrus, rolled into a tube and wrapped in wax paper. Often fruit and nuts are mixed in as well. This candy is sold on the streets of Puebla, where the Santa Clara convent originally produced them.
After high school, I was a missionary for a year in Mexico City, and the nuns would often take us to Puebla on field trips. We would walk the market and buy a bunch of candy. That’s where I first tried the Camotes de Santa Clara. I don’t really remember them as being my favorite, but I know I did enjoy them.
The Recipe: Purple Sweet Potato Ice Cream
This ice cream is especially creamy and sweet, even when it has almost no fat at all, because of the starch and natural sugars of the sweet potato. The pineapple adds a welcome tartness to it and the pecans a crunchy texture. If you can’t find purple sweet potatoes you can use any other variety of sweet potatoes. I have used almond milk, but you can use any plant-based milk. Enjoy!
1lb.Purple sweet potatoes,peeled and cut into cubes
2 3/4cupAlmond milk,unsweetened
2/3cupSugar,granulated
1/4cupMaple syrup
1tsp.Vanilla extract
1tsp.Lime juice,fresh
2tsp.Vodka or tequila reposado,optional
1/4cupPecans,toasted
1/2cupPineapple,chopped
Preparation
Place sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Let cool to room temperature.
In a blender, combine the sweet potatoes, almond milk, sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, lime juice, and tequila. Process until smooth. The mixture should have the thickness of a heavy cream.
Chill for at least an hour in the refrigerator, then pour into your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
You can mix in the pecans and pineapple in to the ice cream after the machine has finished spinning or you can add them to the machine when the ice cream is about to be done.
Eat right away or freeze up to 5 hours to let the ice cream harden a bit.
Chef's Notes
The addition of the alcohol is completely optional. It is added to make homemade ice cream softer, because this ice cream has no preservatives or gums it will get hard in the freezer. Before eating it, take it out of the freezer fro 5 to 10 minutes to soften it up a bit. If you can’t find purple sweet potatoes you can use any other variety of sweet potato
These vegan coconut paletas (paletas de coco) are super easy to make and have only 3 ingredients. They are creamy, without being too rich, and full of toasted coconut flakes. These were my favorite growing up, now I can’t decide between these and the mango-chile paletas. However, I do think this vegan version is even better than the versions made with cow’s milk. They are definitely kid approved!
I had a kitchen nightmare the other night. I hadn’t had one in years! A kitchen nightmare is common among professional cooks and chefs. They usually entail something forgotten in the oven, the ticket machine spitting out ticket after ticket, or chef yelling at you. I don’t even know what caused me to have one, but chef was yelling at me. I was trying to explain myself and only digging the whole deeper. You should know, even in dreams, your response should always be, “Yes, chef.” I woke up a little freaked out, only to realize that my sweet two year old was trying to wake me up with kisses. I cannot even explain to you the huge relief I felt.
Sometimes I miss being a cook in a restaurant, but then I see how hard and tirelessly my husband works and how much we miss him, and I forget about it. Sometimes being a mom entails many tedious and repetitive tasks, and a great exercise in patience, but those sweet kisses cannot be replaced with anything. Not even the rush of adrenaline you get from working the line on a busy night, or the first sip of beer after getting your butt kicked on a Saturday. That morning I was really grateful that I get to be a stay-at-home mom/blogger, that is until I had to wipe up some poop off the bathroom floor!
The Recipe: Vegan Coconut Paletas
I was going to go all out and buy a fresh coconut to make these, since they are so accessible here in Hawaii, but I quickly changed my mind when I imagined trying to crack a coconut with my two kids pulling at my legs. This is the easy version. I used light coconut milk to minimize the amount of fat, but feel free to use full fat coconut milk if that is what you desire. Enjoy!
Combine the coconut milk and sugar in a medium sauce pot and bring to a simmer.
Turn heat off and let cool in fridge. Once completely cool, strain.
Add coconut and mix well. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze for 5 hours
Chef's Notes
If you are using popsicle molds without an insert, refrigerate popsicles for 30 min. then insert wooden popsicle sticks. Coconut can be toasted or untoasted.
It’s strawberry season here in SoCal and there are plenty of places to go strawberry picking. Every year we make a huge batch of strawberry preserves and popsicles or paletas. (To this day I sometimes call lollipops popsicles, because in Mexico paleta can mean both popsicle and lollipop.) The kids love them and so do we.
Is there really a difference between a Mexican paleta and a popsicle? YES! A popsicle can be made with fruit juice, fruit concentrate, and depending on the brand you buy it can also have glycerine, maltodextrin, guar gum, food coloring, and natural and artificial flavors. A Mexican paleta is usually made with fresh fruit, sugar, and water or milk. They are made locally and sold in paleterias (popsicle shops) and popsicle carts. The flavors vary from region to region according to what is available and in season at each location. Some of the flavors are a little crazy or unusual like sweet corn, avocado, rice pudding, and cucumber and chile. They are well know for being very generously filled with cut fresh fruit.
Believe it or not, there are some paleterias in the Orange County/LA area where you can go experience first hand what a paleta really is. In the following months I will be posting many paleta recipes so you can make them at home yourself. My grandparents owned a paleteria more than 30 years ago in my hometown and I’m trying to track down pictures and recipes of that time for you.
In the mean time there is one amazing book by a Mexican chef, Fany Gerson, that should be a part of your cookbook collection. The book is called Paletas. No surprise there! It has many classic Mexican flavors of paletas, as well as aguas frescas, and raspados. One of the best ones are precisely these strawberry paletas which I have adapted for you. Fany Gerson suggests that if you don’t have special popsicle molds you can use shot glasses, and that is precisely what I did. Keep your freezer stocked this summer with these beauties for a refreshing treat. Enjoy!
The Recipe: Strawberry Paletas
These paletas are 100% vegan and use only natural ingredients. I have made two versions, one with just strawberries and one with light coconut milk. They are just the right amount of sweet and they are bursting with chunks of strawberries.
4cupsStrawberries,fresh, hulled, cut into quarters
1/2cupSugar,granulated
1/2cupCold water
1tbsp.Lemon juice,fresh
Preparation
Place strawberries in a large bowl and sprinkle sugar over them. Mix well. Let sit for 20 minutes.
Place strawberries in a medium sauce pot and add 1/2 cup of water and place over medium eat. Simmer softly for 5 minutes. Let mixture cool to room temperature.
Once the mixture is cool, place in a blender, add the lemon juice, and process to desired consistency. Your paletas can be chunky or smooth.
Pour into your molds, snap on the lids, and freeze for at least 5 hours.
Chef's Notes
If using shot glasses (like in the pictures) pour mixture into glasses and freeze for 1 - 2 hours. Insert popsicle sticks and freeze for 4 more hours. If your strawberries are not very sweet you can add 1/4 cup more of sugar. Recipe adapted from Fany Gerson’s book Paletas.
4cupsStrawberries,fresh, hulled, cut into quarters
1/2cupSugar,granulated
1/2cupCold water
1cupCoconut milk,light, unsweetened
1tbsp.Lemon juice,fresh
Preparation
Place strawberries in a large bowl and sprinkle sugar over them. Mix well. Let sit for 20 minutes.
Place strawberries in a medium sauce pot and add 1/2 cup of water and place over medium eat. Simmer softly for 5 minutes. Let mixture cool to room temperature.
Once the mixture is cool, place in a blender, add lemon juice, coconut milk, and process to desired consistency. Your paletas can be chunky or smooth.
Pour into your molds, snap on the lids, and freeze for at least 5 hours.
Chef's Notes
If using shot glasses (like in the pictures) pour mixture into glasses and freeze for 1 - 2 hours. Insert popsicle sticks and freeze for 4 more hours. If your strawberries are not very sweet you can add 1/4 cup more of sugar. Recipe adapted from Fany Gerson’s book Paletas.
This past weekend I went to my first blogger conference. I learned so much and I met the most amazing people. The conference was hosted by Nagi from Recipe Tin Eats and I loved her insight on how she grew her blog from 0 to 1 million views in 18 months. There’s so much to do on this little blog, and I am incredibly motivated to get it done.
There was only one other vegan blogger at the conference, her name is Jenn and her blog is Veggie Inspired. Please go check out her site and don’t forget to follow her on Pinterest, she has some great recipes on there. There’s one other blogger I would love to mention and that is Mimi from Mimi Avocado, even though her blog is not vegan you should go over to her site and read a little bit of her story. She lives on an avocado ranch. If you live in California you could have Mimi’s avocados delivered right to your door through her son’s company: California Avocados Direct!
Our ebook: Vegan Tamales Unwrapped is coming along nicely and I can’t wait for you to try all of the different tamal recipes. This recipe for vegan strawberry tamales is one of the best ones in the book. Apparently they taste like Capt’n Crunch’s Crunch Berries, according to my husband.
The Recipe: Vegan Strawberry Tamales
These strawberry tamales are soft, tender packets of ground corn, filled with sweet strawberry jam. The aroma of the tamales steaming is irresistible. They are great with a mug of Mexican hot chocolate or an atole. Enjoy!
Soak the corn husks in hot water, in a large pot or in your kitchen sink. Place a plate over them to weigh them down so they are completely submerged. Let them soak for at least an hour.
Blend the 2 cups of almond milk and 1 cup of the strawberries until smooth.
To make the dough: beat the butter and sugar, on medium-high speed, with an electric mixer, until the butter has doubled in size and is nice and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the baking powder and salt, and beat for 1 minute to incorporate into the butter.
Add half of the masa harina then add the strawberry almond milk. After it is completely incorporated, add the other half of the masa harina and the water. Add the remaining cup of chopped strawberries, and beat at low speed, until thoroughly mixed. It should have the consistency of a thick cake batter. If necessary add more water until you reach that consistency.
For lighter and fluffier tamales, let the dough rest for an hour in the refrigerator. Remove the dough from the fridge and rebeat it, adding enough liquid to get it to the consistency it had before.
Remove the corn husks from the water and set on paper towels. Reserve the largest husks to wrap the tamales and the small ones to line the steamer.
To set up your steamer, fill the bottom with water making sure the water is not touching the steamer rack. Line the rack and sides of the steamer pot with corn husks. Set aside.
Pull 24 pencil thin strips off of the corn husks and set aside. Take a husk and dry off the excess water on it with a paper towel. Place the husk in your hand with the tapered side away from you and the smooth side up. Using a spoon, spread 2-3 tbsp. of the dough (¼ inch thick) onto the corn husk, forming a 3 - 4 inch square. Leave a border of at least 3/4 inch on each side of the square.
Place 1 tbsp. of strawberry jam in the center of the dough. Bring the two long sides of the corn husk together, this will cause the masa to surround the jam, and roll them in the same direction around the tamal. (If the husk is too small, fold one of the long sides towards the center, and then fold the other long side on top.) Fold down the empty tapered section of the corn husk, forming a closed bottom. This will leave the top of the tamal open. Tie with a corn husk strip to secure the bottom of the tamal.
Place the tamal in the steamer vertically leaning against the side of the steamer, with the open end on top. Repeat this process until you run out of dough and all the tamales are in the steamer. Cover them with a layer of corn husks. If the steamer is not full, fill the empty spaces with more corn husks. Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil. Turn heat down to medium and cook for 40 minutes. Check the tamales, when they separate easily from the corn husk it means they are done. If they are not done, steam for 10 more minutes and check again.
Remove steamer from the heat and let sit covered for 10 minutes. Uncover and let cool for at least an hour. Don’t be alarmed if the tamales seem really soft. As they cool, they will firm up.
Chef's Notes
If you would like to make these with fresh masa, replace the masa harina with 2 lbs. of fresh masa and use only 1 cup of almond milk. To substitute the fat you can use 8 oz. of coconut oil. For tamales without fat, substitute with 8 oz of cooked, unsweetened pumpkin.
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It’s that time of year again when the cold starts creeping in and we yearn for a nice mug of hot chocolate and a tamal. If you have never tried a sweet tamal you are in for a treat. These vegan chocolate tamales are made by beating vegan butter and sugar, adding corn masa flour, ground Mexican chocolate, cinnamon, and warm almond milk. It is filled with bittersweet chocolate chips and chopped pecans. The best tamal is a warm tamal just out of the steamer, and the scent of cinnamon and the melted bittersweet chocolate interior of this tamal will surely conquer your taste buds.
We love tamales in this house both savory and sweet. Our favorites are the red chile jackfruit tamales, potato adobo tamales, and strawberry tamales. We love them so much that two years ago I self-published an ebook to help you make all kinds of vegan tamales. The book is called Vegan Tamales Unwrappedand contains over 18 different vegan tamal recipes for you to enjoy this Christmas season, with a step-by-step picture guide to making the dough, wrapping the tamales, and placing them in the steamer. The recipes include both savory and sweet tamales.
Recently, while doing some research on tamales I read that there is very little evidence that tortillas were part of the Mayan diet, at least not until 900 AD. However, tamales can be found in the Aztec and Maya civilizations as far back as 7000 BC according to their hieroglyphs. It is thought that they were often carried by warriors, hunters, and travelers since they are the perfect portable food individually wrapped in corn husks. Who would have thought???
The Recipe: Vegan Chocolate Tamales
If you would like to make these tamales with fresh masa, replace the masa harina with 2 lbs. of fresh masa.
I used Ibarra chocolate for this recipe, but there are many other vegan options.
You can also make these with coconut oil or vegetable shortening.
If you would like to make these without fat, use unsweetened pumpkin puree to replace the fat.
Vegan Chocolate tamales filled with roasted pecans and chocolate chips.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword chocolate, pecans, vegan tamales
Prep Time2hours
Cook Time40minutes
Total Time2hours40minutes
Servings18tamales
AuthorDora Stone
Ingredients
1cup (8 oz.)Vegan Butter,room temperature
1/3cupSugar,granulated
4cups (1 lb. 2oz)Masa harina
1.5tsp.Baking powder
1tsp.Salt
1 1/2cups (9 oz.)Mexican chocolate,ground
½tsp.Cinnamon,ground
2cupsAlmond Milk,unsweetened, warm
2cupsWater,warm
½cupPecans,chopped
2cupsChocolate chips,bittersweet
30Corn husksdried
Preparation
To prepare the husks:
Soak the corn husks in hot water, in a large pot or in your kitchen sink. Place a plate over them to weigh them down so they are completely submerged. Let them soak for at least an hour.
To make the dough:
Chop the Mexican chocolate into small pieces and grind to a powder in the food processor. If you don’t have a food processor, you can grate the chocolate with a standard kitchen grater.
Beat the butter and sugar, on medium-high speed, with an electric mixer, until the butter has doubled in size and is nice and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the Mexican chocolate, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and beat for 1 minute to incorporate into the butter.
Add half of the masa harina then add the almond milk. After it is completely incorporated, add the other half of masa harina and water. Beat at low speed, until thoroughly mixed. It should have the consistency of a thick cake batter. If necessary add more water until you reach that consistency.
For lighter and fluffier tamales, let the dough rest for an hour in the refrigerator. Remove the dough from the fridge and rebeat it, adding enough liquid to get it to the consistency it had before.
Remove the corn husks from the water and set on paper towels.
To set up the steamer:
Fill the bottom with water making sure the water is not touching the steamer rack. Line the rack and sides of the steamer pot with corn husks. Set aside.
To wrap the tamales:
Pull 24 pencil thin strips off of the corn husks and set aside. Take a husk and dry off the excess water on it with a paper towel. Place the husk in your hand with the tapered side away from you and the smooth side up. Using a spoon, spread 2-3 tbsp. of the dough (¼ inch thick) onto the corn husk, forming a 3 - 4 inch square. Leave a border of at least 3/4 inch on each side of the square.
Place 5-10 chocolate chips, and a sprinkle of chopped pecans in the center of the dough. Bring the two long sides of the corn husk together, this will cause the masa to surround the filling, and roll them in the same direction around the tamal. (If the husk is too small, fold one of the long sides towards the center, and then fold the other long side on top.) Fold down the empty tapered section of the corn husk, forming a closed bottom. This will leave the top of the tamal open. Tie with a corn husk strip to secure the bottom of the tamal.
Place the tamal in the steamer vertically leaning against the side of the steamer, with the folded part of the tamal on the bottom. Repeat this process until you run out of dough and all the tamales are in the steamer. Cover them with a layer of corn husks. If the steamer is not full, fill the empty spaces with more corn husks. Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil. Turn heat down to medium and cook for 40 minutes. Check the tamales, when they separate easily from the corn husk it means they are done. If they are not done, steam for 10 more minutes and check again.
Remove steamer from the heat and let sit covered for 10 minutes. Uncover and let cool. Don’t be alarmed if the tamales seem really soft. As they cool, they will firm up.
Recipe Video
Chef's Notes
If you would like to make these with fresh masa, replace the masa harina with 2 lbs. of fresh masa. You can also use 8 oz. of coconut oil or 8 oz of cooked, unsweetened pumpkin to replace the fat.
Something strange is happening in our house. Our 6 yr old, Dylan, has been asking what vegan is. My husband is an omnivore, so I cook 3 vegan meals, 3 non-vegan meals and we eat out one day a week. We don’t really use labels with our food, so the kids don’t think about our meals as vegan or non-vegan. They will eat almost anything, as long as it’s good.
He has been hearing the word vegan a lot though, because of the blog, and my husband constantly asking if something I have prepared is vegan (possibly with a grimace on his face). I don’t want Dylan to think of vegan food as different or worse than other food, so I have been naming some of his favorite foods and letting him know they are vegan. He loves tofu! When he asked me what vegan was, the best explanation I could give him was that it was food that came from plants, not animals. He kind of nodded and moved on to the next distracting thing in his path.
Thisis another great dish you can prepare for theDay of the Dead celebration. A cinderella pumpkin is cut into thick wedges, and simmered slowly in piloncillo, cinnamon, clove, and orange peel. Once the pumpkin is soft and tender, it is drizzled in its own syrup. Traditionally it is served with milk, but this version is topped with decadent coconut whipped cream. Enjoy!
Place the piloncillo, water, cinnamon, clove, and orange peel in a large pot or dutch oven set to low heat. Let the piloncillo slowly dissolve, stir frequently.
In the meantime, rinse the pumpkin well to remove any dirt. With a small knife cut a circle around the stem of the pumpkin. Almost like you are carving a jack-o-lantern. Remove the stem and pull out the seeds and flesh attached to it. Leave the rest if the seeds and flesh inside.
Following the natural vertical grooves of the pumpkin, cut it into wedges from top to bottom. The wedges should be about 2 ½ “ wide x 3 “ long. You do not need to remove the seeds, but you can if desired. Score the skin of the pumpkin wedges with a small knife to help them absorb the syrup.
Once the piloncillo has completely dissolved, remove the pot from the heat and layer the pumpkin wedges skin side down on the bottom of the pot. Once you have covered the bottom of the pot completely, add a second layer of pumpkin wedges flesh side down, so that the pumpkin is touching flesh to flesh.
Cover the pot and set it to medium- low heat. Let the pumpkin simmer for 1½ hours. Don’t worry about not having enough liquid in the pot. As the pumpkin cooks it will release a large quantity of water.
Uncover the pot and let simmer for ½ hour more or until the pumpkin is a dark brown color and is completely submerged in the syrup. Take off the heat and let cool.
Serve hot or cold and top with coconut whipped cream. (see note)
Chef's Notes
If you cannot find Cinderella pumpkins, use a sugar pumpkin instead. Here is a super easy recipe for coconut whipped cream.
Who knew death could be so colorful? Purple and orange tissue paper banners line altars decorated with marigold petals, colorful sugar skulls, and a bounty of fruit and vegetables. This is a celebration of life and triumph over death, the intermingling of the religious beliefs of the indigenous people of Mexico and the faith of the Spaniards that conquered them. The Day of the Dead is not only a holiday that honors those who have left us, but it is believed that on that special day the souls of the dead return to visit the living. Both the indigenous people and the Church of the Spaniards believed that death was not an end, but only a passageway to another life. That is why this is a joyous occasion, a homecoming festival, and at the same time a way to mock death and the power it holds over our bodies.
Before the arrival of the Spanish conquistadores, the Aztecs held rituals for the dead during the summer months in a joint celebration with the first days of harvest. The dead were traditionally buried with rich offering of ceramics, personal objects, and food. The offerings where meant to assist them in their journey to the afterlife. After the arrival of the Catholic missionaries their traditions and beliefs were merged with those of the indigenous people, and the festivities were moved to coincide with All Saints Day and All Souls Day, Nov 1st and Nov 2nd.
The festivities have evolved over the years and differ from region to region. Some of the most popular ones include altars in honor of loved ones who have passed, preparing the dead’s favorite foods, and gathering at the cemetery to decorate a loved one’s grave, share a meal and reminiscence. My favorite tradition is the elaboration of the altars. The symbolism incorporated into the altars is so rich and meaningful that it truly honors the dead, those we keep in our hearts, but somehow with the passing of time fade in our memories.
Every altar has several key symbols which are:
water– as an offering to the soul to quench their thirst in their long journey
salt– as a symbol of purification and to preserve the body so it will not wither
fire– to represent the light of the faith and guide the spirits in their journey
incense– to elevate our prayers to God in heaven
flowers– marigolds, their color represents the radiance of sunlight and life
bread– as a symbol of the body of Christ, usually round loaves with topped with “bones” and known as pan de muerto
a picture of the person who the altar is dedicated to
religious images– to symbolize God as an intermediary between the living and the dead
the favorite foods and drinks of the departed– to delight the souls who will be visiting (the most common being Mexican hot chocolate, tequila, atole, mole, tortillas and rice
candy skulls– the indigenous held the skull as symbol of death being a part of life
tissue paper banners– purple to symbolize christian mourning and orange to symbolize Aztec mourning
fruits and vegetables– an offering from the earth
personal objects of the person being honored– to accompany them on their journey back
a dog– to protect and guide the spirits.
Every year we make an altar in our home to a loved one lost. It is our own special way of introducing our deceased loved ones to our children. We talk about the things that they liked to eat, do, and why they are important to us. On November 2nd we say a prayer for them, and keep hoping for the day we will be reunited in the afterlife. For years now, we have also been attending the Day of the Dead Festival in Oceanside, CA. The festival takes place in the Mission San Luis Rey. There are a variety of traditional foods such as tamales, tacos, tortas, aguas frescas, and pan de muerto. There is also face painting, sugar skull decorating, and regional dances. However, the highlight of the festival is the showcase of the altars, some representing various Mexican states and built by whole communities and families.
Out of all the wonderful Mexican traditions, the Day of the Dead might be the one that still holds firm to its pre-Hispanic roots. The loved ones lost, who we cannot see or hear, make themselves present in our homes, share our food, and partake in the rejoicing of life and the conquest of death.
Sources:
Los Dias de Los Muertos, Smithsonian Institution National Museum of the American Indian and National Museum of American History, 2010
The Recipe: Vegan Day of the Dead Bread (Pan de Muerto)
This recipe might be better than the non-vegan version, according to my husband. I have substituted the eggs with potatoes, resulting in a moist, soft, and sweet bread. It is perfect for dipping in hot chocolate or coffee.
Bake at 350F for 40- 45 minutes. Brush with butter and sprinkle with sugar.
This vegan day of the dead bread or pan de muerto is tender, sweet, and delicious. Perfect for dipping on hot chocolate.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword day of the dead, pan de muerto, vegan
Prep Time1day
Cook Time45minutes
Total Time1day45minutes
Servings4loaves
AuthorDora Stone
Ingredients
1pack (.25 oz)Active dry yeast
½cup (3.5 oz)Almond milk,room temperature, 3.5 oz
3 1/3cup (17.5 oz)Bread flour
¾cup (5.5 oz)Sugar,granulated
1tsp.Salt
1tsp.Orange zest
¼cupOrange juice
¾cup (6 oz.)Potato,Yukon gold, cooked, mashed
½cup + 1 tbsp. (4 ¼ oz.)Vegan butterroom temperature, cut into 1 inch pieces,
Topping
2tbsp.Vegan butter,melted
½cupSugar,granulated
Preparation
In a medium bowl, dissolve the yeast in the almond milk and add 2 tbsp. of the flour. Whisk to incorporate and let rest in a warm place for 20 min.
In the bowl of a mixer, with the dough hook, combine the dry ingredients: the rest of the flour, salt, sugar, and orange zest. Mix.
Add the wet ingredients: the orange juice, mashed potato, and yeast-flour mixture. Mix on low until the dough begins to incorporate.
Add the ½ cup + 1 tbsp. of softened butter little by little and increase speed to medium. Mix for 15 min. until the dough has come off the sides of the bowl and is stretchy but not sticky.
Place the dough in a large oiled bowl, cover with a towel and let rise for 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until doubled in size. Punch down the dough and fold the side over unto each other and flip. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
The next day take the dough from the fridge, remove the plastic wrap and cover with a towel. Let rise in a warm place (70-75F) until the dough comes to room temperature, about an hour.
Take a piece of dough, weighing about 3 oz., and set aside. Divide the remaining dough into four pieces. Roll them tightly into rounds and place on a sheet tray lined with parchment. Press down on the rounds lightly.
Use the reserved dough to make 4 small balls the size of a quarter and set aside. Use the remaining dough to roll out eight strips long enough to cover the rounds. Place two strips on top of each round forming an x, use your fingers to press lightly on the strips to form knobs, they should resemble bones. Repeat the process with the rest of the rounds.
Cover with a towel and let rise for 1 ½ hrs. in a warm place (70- 75F) or until double in size.
Meanwhile preheat the oven to 350F. Place the small balls in the center of the rounds with a little bit of water. Bake for 20-30 min. until the rounds have become a rich brown color. Cover with foil and bake for 10 to 15 min. more, until the bread reaches an internal temperature of 190F. Remove from the oven and let cool on a rack.
While the bread is still warm melt 2 tbsp. of butter and brush the bread with it. Sprinkle evenly with sugar.
Let bread completely cool before eating.
Recipe Video
Chef's Notes
My favorite vegan butter is Earth Balance. This recipe is a combination of my dad’s recipe and Fanny Gerson’s method for Pan de Muerto in My Sweet Mexico.
https://dorastable.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/pan-de-muerto15.jpg464700Dora S.https://dorastable.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/logo-dorastable.jpgDora S.2015-10-12 13:19:432019-05-17 09:26:55Vegan Day of the Dead Bread
