Tamales de Zarzamora (Blackberry Tamales)
Purple sweet tamales with a jammy blackberry centre and a hint of lime. A tender, fruity vegan pudding.
Made with Tamale masa. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time2 hr
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £2.02 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Estimated nutrition per serving
- 382kcal
- 79.5gcarbs
- 44.3gof which sugars
- 2.7gfat
- 0.6gsaturates
- 15gprotein
- 13gfibre
- 1.8gsalt
A rough estimate worked out from the ingredients, for the serving size above. It is a guide only and not medical advice. If you count carbs or manage diabetes, check with your own tools and your care team.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Soak the corn husks in a large bowl of hot water, weighed down, for 45 minutes until soft and pliable. Drain and pat dry.
45 min - 2
Put the blackberries, 40 g of the sugar and the lime zest in a small pan. Cook over a medium heat for 8 minutes, mashing, until jammy. Mix the cornflour with 1 tbsp water, stir it in and cook for 1 minute until thick. Cool completely.
8 min - 3
Beat the remaining sugar and the cinnamon into your ready made tamale masa (see the base recipe) for 2 minutes until smooth and fluffy. Fold in 2 tbsp of the cooled blackberry mix for a pink and purple marbled dough.
- 4
Lay a husk with the wide end towards you. Spread about 3 tbsp (50 g) of masa over the wider two thirds, leaving a border. Spoon a heaped teaspoon of blackberry jam down the middle.
- 5
Fold the sides in over the filling, then fold up the narrow end. Make 8 tamales.
- 6
Stand them folded end down in a steamer lined with spare husks. Steam over simmering water for 1 hour, topping up the water, until the masa is firm and pulls from the husk. Rest for 10 minutes before unwrapping and eating warm.
60 min
Tips
- Cook the blackberry filling thick so it stays in the middle and does not stain the whole tamal.
- Do not overfill. Hot fruit bursts out in the steamer.
- Serve warm with dairy free yoghurt or a dusting of icing sugar.
Storing and freezing
Cool within 2 hours and keep in the fridge in their husks for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat by steaming for 10 to 15 minutes until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
Can I use other fruit?
Yes. Strawberries, raspberries or diced mango all work. Cook the fruit until thick so it does not wet the masa.
Are these tamales vegan?
Yes, with the vegan masa from the base recipe. They are also gluten free, dairy free, egg free and nut free.
Why are my tamales gluey?
Usually under steaming or too much wet filling. Steam for 10 more minutes and keep the filling thick next time.
More made with tamale masa
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
