• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Mexico In My Kitchen
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Cookbook
  • Español
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Cookbook
  • Español
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Cookbook
  • Español
×

You are here: Home » Recipes » Christmas & New Year's

Chocolate Tamales

Published: Feb 2, 2018 · Updated: Sep 19, 2019 by Mely Martínez

JUMP TO RECIPE

Today, it is an honor for me to have Chef José Hernández as a guest on the blog to share one of his wonderful creations: Chocolate Tamales. I met Chef Hernández on Instagram, where he shares photos of the meals he serves at his restaurant “Yokot’an”.

Chocolate Tamales Recipe

Chocolate Tamales recipe | Learn how to do make it today

The very first time I saw those chocolate tamales in one of his pictures, I knew right away I wanted to try them. Luckily for us, he was kind enough to share the recipe with me and even took the time to take pictures of the whole process, showing exactly how they’re made in his restaurant in the city of San Pedro Garza Garcia, Nuevo León.

Yokotan Chef José Hernández | Recetas de comida mexicana

Born in Comalcalco, Tabasco, Chef José Hernández studied gastronomy at the Mexican Culinary Institute, with complementary studies in Marketing Strategies from the Ibero-American University. He has also studied Tourism & Business at the University of Bangkok, Thailand.

Chef Hernández is currently the owner of the restaurant Yokot’an Antojería Mexicana, a venture that served as his professional thesis based on the use of corn, peppers, and cocoa beans. Today it serves as a culinary space that showcases flavors from southeast Mexico, using Tabascan ingredients and artisanal techniques.

The filling for these tamales has to be prepared at least 3 -4 hours in advance. If you are in a hurry, you can skip the filling or only use a piece of chocolate as a filing.

Chocolate Tamales recipe | Ingredients

How to make Chocolate Tamales Recipe

JUMP TO FULL INSTRUCTIONS

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE FILLING:

Place the chopped pieces of chocolate in a glass bowl and then pour the hot water in. Mix well using a balloon whisk. At the beginning, it will look like it’s curdling, but if you keep beating it, it will become a smooth paste.

Now, add the cocoa powder and keep beating until it acquires a thick, creamy texture. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours. It will be ready when it looks like thick yogurt.

FOR THE CHOCOLATE TAMALES:

  • 3 Mexican Chocolate tablets, chopped
  • 13 tablespoons (200ml) of hot water
  • 3½ cups of Masa-Harina* (or 1 Kilo Fresh Masa)
  • 3 cups of warm water
  • 10 tablespoons of vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
  • 2 cups (310 grams) of light brown sugar
  • 10 tablespoons of cocoa powder
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 20 pieces of banana leaves (6 x 6 in. each), already softened and cleaned**

NOTES:

*Use the same Masa-harina used to make tortillas.

**If you don’t find banana leaves, use cornhusks (soaked in hot water to soften).

DIRECTIONS

Chocolate Tamales recipe | Instructions step by step
  • Mix the chopped chocolate with the hot water until it dissolves, then set aside.
  • In a large bowl, mix the masa harina with the warm water and vegetable oil. Knead well.
  • Add the melted chocolate and vanilla extract to the dough and keep kneading.
  • Stir in the cocoa powder, light brown sugar, and salt. Keep kneading until you have a uniform texture (the dough will be very creamy).
Chocolate Tamales recipe | Instructions step by step, quick and easy
  • To form the tamales, place about ⅓ cup of dough on a piece of banana leaf (or cornhusk) and add a tablespoon of solid chocolate ganache filling to the center of the dough. Fold the edges of the banana leaf of cornhusk to wrap the tamal.
  • Cook in a pot with a steam rack for 45 minutes. After that time, let them rest for 30 minutes before serving.

Chocolate Tamales recipe | Mexican Recipes

All photos on this post are courtesy of Yokot'an Restaurant.

Chef José Hernández participates in several gastronomic festivals in the State of Nuevo León, takes part in the brand development for the products from POZOLAZO, and also creates private dinners.

You can follow his delicious work on these social media accounts:

Facebook: @Yokot’an Instagram: @YokotanMX  Twitter: @YokotanMx

For more Tamales recipes follow this LINK

📖 Recipe

Chocolate Tamal recipe - 1

Chocolate Tamales

Mely Martínez
Today, it is an honor for me to have Chef José Hernández as a guest on the blog to share one of his wonderful creations: Chocolate Tamales. I met Chef Hernández on Instagram, where he shares photos of the meals he serves at his restaurant “Yokot’an”.
4.46 from 11 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 45 mins
Total Time 1 hr 5 mins
Course Antojitos, Desserts
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 20
Calories 262 kcal

Ingredients
  

FOR THE FILLING:

  • 2 tablets of Mexican Chocolate from the “Abuelita” brand, chopped
  • ¼ cup of hot water
  • 4 tablespoons of cocoa powder

FOR THE CHOCOLATE TAMALES:

  • 3 Mexican Chocolate tablets chopped
  • 13 tablespoons 200ml of hot water
  • 3½ cups of Masa-Harina* (1 Kilo Fresh Masa)
  • 3 cups of warm water
  • 10 tablespoons of vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
  • 2 cups 310 grams of light brown sugar
  • 10 tablespoons of cocoa powder
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 20 pieces of banana leaves 6 x 6 in. each, already softened and cleaned**

Instructions
 

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE FILLING:

  • Place the chopped pieces of chocolate in a glass bowl and then pour the hot water in. Mix well using a balloon whisk. At the beginning, it will look like it’s curdling, but if you keep beating it, it will become a smooth paste. Now, add the cocoa powder and keep beating until it acquires a thick, creamy texture. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours. It will be ready when it looks like thick yogurt.

FOR THE CHOCOLATE TAMALES:

  • Mix the chopped chocolate with the hot water until it dissolves, then set aside.
  • In a large bowl, mix the masa harina with the warm water and vegetable oil. Knead well.
  • Add the melted chocolate and vanilla extract to the dough and keep kneading.
  • Stir in the cocoa powder, light brown sugar, and salt. Keep kneading until you have a uniform texture (the dough will be very creamy).
  • To form the tamales, place about ⅓ cup of dough on a piece of banana leaf (or cornhusk) and add a tablespoon of solid chocolate ganache filling to the center of the dough. Fold the edges of the banana leaf of cornhusk to wrap the tamal.
  • Cook in a pot with a steam rack for 45 minutes. After that time, let them rest for 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

*Use the same Masa-harina used to make tortillas.
**If you don’t find banana leaves, use cornhusks (soaked in hot water to soften).

Nutrition

Serving: 1tamalCalories: 262kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 2gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 12mgPotassium: 167mgFiber: 2gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 45IUCalcium: 54mgIron: 2.6mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

More Mexican Christmas Recipes

  • Torrejas Mexican French toast
    Torrejas Mexican French Toast
  • Sopaipilla Recipe
    Authentic Sopaipillas Recipe
  • Mexican Tamales
    Homemade Gifts from the Mexican Kitchen
  • Chiapas Style Pork
    Cochito al Horno

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply & Rating Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Catherine

    February 09, 2023 at 12:50 pm

    Hello! This looks like a great possibility for a chocolate party I'm attending. In the picture it looks like you used additional ganache as a topping for the opened tamales. Did you need to prepare extra for this or does the filling quantity account for this? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Mely Martínez

      February 09, 2023 at 3:09 pm

      Hello Catherine,
      The chef added a drizzle of Chocolate sauce.

      Reply
  2. Lizz

    December 26, 2020 at 12:19 am

    4 stars
    Thanks for this recipe! I changed it up a bit since I saw that the consistency was a bit runny in the photos and someone mentioned it in a past review. I used corn husks so with the consistency in the photos it would spill right out. What I changed: I used only 2 cups of water, only 5tbsp of coco powder and only 1.5 cups of sugar since the chocolate tablets already have sugar. I heated up the water in a small pot to melt the chocolate tablets for the masa, I didn't think hot water alone would do it quickly. I didn't make the filling since I don't like too much sweetness but I did add a little bit of strawberry jam inside a few of them for my son. He liked them!

    Reply
    • Mely Martínez

      December 26, 2020 at 5:03 pm

      Hello Lizz,
      Love the idea of adding strawberry jam!

      Reply
  3. Kristy

    January 12, 2020 at 9:25 pm

    3 stars
    I made these following the recipe except I used coconut oil instead of vegetable oil. I gave three stars because my chocolate “masa” was way too runny (Like raw pumpkin pie filling) and I had to add an additional 2-3 cups of masa for flour tortillas and refrigerate in order to get a “brownie” consistency.

    The chocolate ganache filling gets a 5-star rating. It was near perfection. Instead of hand chopping the chocolate I used my Ninja blender. Toward the end of mixing I did put my bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds just to completely melt the chocolate (I don’t think my water was hot enough) then I mixed it again and refrigerated.

    I only made a dozen in order not to waste ingredients. They were good but did stick to the hojas some even after the 30-minute resting time. A video and/or more detailed pictures would have been helpful.

    I’m going to try to make the masa again but I’m going to make “fresh masa” instead and then blend in the chocolate, brown sugar, and spices and cut back on the water. I was able to find some online videos after I had already made this recipe in order to help with the assembly part.

    Reply
  4. Lacey

    December 11, 2019 at 10:54 am

    Do these freeze ok, so they can be made in advance? If so what is the thawing and serving directions?

    Reply
    • Mely Martínez

      December 11, 2019 at 1:37 pm

      Hello Lacey,
      Yes, tamales keep well in the freezer for several months. There are several ways to reheat them. Place the frozen tamales in a steamer and steam for 30 minutes. You can also thaw them and reheat in the steamer for less time. And the easiest way, place the frozen tamales in the microwave and heat for one minute per tamal.

      Reply
  5. Heidi

    August 10, 2018 at 4:15 pm

    Does this recipe require baking powder?

    Reply
    • mmartinez

      August 10, 2018 at 4:31 pm

      Hello Heidi,
      This recipe does not require baking powder, the texture of this tamales is similar to that of brownies. However, you can add baking powder if you want.

      Reply
  6. Pamela

    June 26, 2018 at 3:02 am

    What are chocolate tablets - we don't have these in the UK. What is the weight of a tablet and can we use normal chocolate instead?

    Reply
    • mmartinez

      June 28, 2018 at 7:36 pm

      Hello Pamela,
      Follow the link to see how a Mexican Chocolate Table looks like https://amzn.to/2yT1BCz
      Each tablet weighs about 3 oz. (170grams), you can use about 80 grams of dark chocolate for baking instead.

      Reply
  7. Lyzette

    April 25, 2018 at 8:21 am

    Can the masa harina be substituted with fresh masa?

    Reply
    • mmartinez

      April 25, 2018 at 8:31 am

      Hello Lyzette,

      Of course, you can, you will need 1 kilo of fresh masa. Buen provecho!

      Reply
  8. Ruth

    March 10, 2018 at 2:20 pm

    Do you have a recipe for chorizo? My aunt used to make wonderful chorizo__something I wish she had taught me to make. Love your recipes! Thank you.

    Reply
    • mmartinez

      March 10, 2018 at 6:45 pm

      Hello Ruth,
      Yes, there is a recipe, here is the link:
      Chorizo mexicano

      Enjoy!

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

About me

Hi, I'm Mely Martinez, a former Mexican school teacher, home cook, and food blogger. I moved to the United States about ten years ago, after living in Mexico my whole life. Now I love to share home-style recipes for authentic Mexican food.
Read more...

Order your copy now!

Mexican Cookbook
The Mexican Home Kitchen Cookbook

Soup Recipes

  • Pasta soup with spinach
    Mexican Pasta Soup with Spinach
  • Bread Soup Recipe
    Bread Soup from Chiapas
  • squash vines & shoots soup
    Squash Vine and Shoots Soup
  • Potato soup recipe
    Mexican Potato Soup

Recipes for tamales

  • Vegan Tamales
  • Beef Tamales recipe
    Homemade Beef Tamales Recipe
  • Savory Sweet Corn Tamales -1
    Sweet Corn Tamales With Pork
  • Chicken Tamale Casserole (Tamal En Cazuela)

As featured in:

Footer

About

ABOUT
PRIVACY POLICY
USER SERVICE AGREEMENT
ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT

Newsletter

SIGN UP FOR EMAILS AND UPDATES!

Follow / Contact

FACEBOOK
INSTAGRAM
PINTEREST
CONTACT

COPYRIGHT © 2023 · MEXICO IN MY KITCHEN