Rick Baylesss Chocolate Tamale Food

RICK BAYLESS'S CHOCOLATE TAMALE

Steps:

• Cover husks with hot water and keep them submerged for a few hours until husks are pliable. Use 24 husks-at least 6" across on the wide end and 6-7". long. Pat dry. Grind chocolate. Makes approx 1 ½ cups ground. Mix butter, chocolate, sugar, salt and baking powder on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Keep beating as you add masa in three additions. Reduce speed to medium-low, add milk or water. Beat until a 1/2-teaspoon of batter floats cold water, about 1 minute. Batter should hold its shape in a spoon. Refrigerate batter for an hour or so, then rebeat, adding additional milk or water to bring batter to the soft consistency it had before. Line rack of the steamer with leftover corn husks to protect tamales from direct contact with the steam. Leave tiny spaces between husks so condensing steam can drain off. Cut 24- 10" pieces of string. Lay out a corn husk with the skinnier end toward you. Spread 1/4 cup of batter into a 4" square, leaving at least a 1 ½" border on the side toward you and a ¾" border along the other sides (with large husks, the borders will be much bigger). Pick up 2 long sides of corn husk and bring together. If uncovered borders of the 2 long sides you're holding are narrow, tuck one side under the other; if wide, then roll both sides in the same direction around the tamale. Fold up the empty 1 ½" section of the husk (to form a tightly closed "bottom," leaving the top open). Loosely tie string around tamale. Place tamales on their folded bottoms in the prepared steamer. Don't tie tamales too tight or pack them too close in the steamer. Steam tamales in batches. Cover tamales with a layer of corn husks. Cover and steam over medium heat for about 1 1/4 hours. Watch carefully that water doesn't boil away. Tamales are done when husk peels away from the masa easily. Let tamales stand in steamer off the heat for a few minutes to firm up. Cool completely. Re-steam 15 minutes to heat through.

CINNAMON CHOCOLATE COCKTAIL (RICK BAYLESS)

Steps:

• Wet the rim of a small martini glass and dip the rim in cinnamon sugar. Set aside.
• In a cocktail shaker, add remaining ingredients EXCEPT ice cubes. Shake for ten seconds to completely blend the chocolate sauce.
• Add the ice to the shaker, then shake vigorously for at least 15 seconds, or until tiny ice crystals form.
• Strain into the sugar-crusted glass and serve immediately.

RICK BAYLESS'S MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• In a medium-size saucepan, simmer the milk (or water) with the chocolate for a few minutes over medium-low heat, stirring constantly to dissolve the chocolate.
• Either pour into a pitcher, and beat well with a Mexican molinillo, whisk or electric mixer, or pour into a blender, cover loosely, and whiz until thoroughly mixed. Either way, you should wind up with a nicely frothed drink. Serve immediately.