DH's recipe. The proportions in the dough are from Stephan Pyles' tamales cookbook. He added the chipotle (which is wonderful and compliments the sweet potato perfectly). The filling is his as is the cream sauce.
Also, we don't have a pecan allergy in our family, so this includes pecans.
Soak 10 large corn husks in warm water (soak a few extra in case some tear during assembly)
Dough
Cream 1/4 c. butter and 1/4 c. shortening with 1 1/2 c. masa harina 2-3 minutes.
Scrape sides and add 2 t. chipotle powder, 1 t. salt, 1/2 t. baking powder and beat 2 minutes.
Add 1 1/2 c. warm water and beat 2 minutes until fluffy.
Form into ball, wrap in plastic wrap and let rest 30 minutes. Dough will be soft.
Filling
Peel and dice one sweet potato, and boil in salted water until tender but not mushy, 7-8 minutes, depending note side of your dice. Drain and remove to mixing bowl.
Sauté 1 red onion, sliced into thin strips, in 1 T. butter and 1 t. salt until carmelized, 10 minutes or so.
Add splash of balsamic vinegar and 2 t. maple syrup.
Add carmelized onion and 1/4 c. chopped pecans to sweet potatoes. Stir lightly. Add black pepper to taste.
Add 1/2 c. masa dough to sweet potato mixture and blend in.
Assembly
Tear 1-2 corn husks into 16 strips to be used for tying tamales (2 per tamale)
Shake dry a corn husk.
Spread 1/8 of the dough on a corn husk out to 1 1/2 inches from either end and 1/4 inch from the long sides.
Place 1/8 of the filling in the center of the dough.
Roll up the edges of the husk to surround the filling completely with dough, wrap into a tube around the dough, and tie both ends with the strips you tore earlier.
Each tamale will look like a large Tootsie Roll or a Christmas cracker tied with ribbon on each end.
Steam tamales over simmering water 40-45 minutes until dough is firmly set.
Ginger maple creme sauce
(You can do this while tamales are steaming)
Heat 1 cup cream to boiling and add 1 T. maple syrup and 1/2 t. ground ginger and a dash of nutmeg. Boiling, reduce to 1/2 c. Keep warm.
Serving
Slice tamale with a sharp knife through the husk and pinch ends toward each other, like a baked potato, exposing the insides. Place on plate.
Pour 1 T. creme sauce into the space you opened up.