Method and apparatus for making tamales

An apparatus for making a food product comprising:

• (a) a template for anchoring a food wrapper material said template having a substantially flat and smooth upper surface and a substantially flat and smooth lower surface;
• (b) an opening of a predetermined configuration connecting said substantially flat and smooth upper surface with said substantially flat and smooth lower surface;
• (c) a taper in said opening extending downwardly and outwardly from said substantially flat and smooth upper surface to said substantially flat and smooth lower surface;
• and
• (d) a spreader tool having a substantially flat spreader edge for pressing and spreading a dough material into said opening of said template, said spreader tool having a substantially flat spreader edge of a width sufficient to provide a supporting overhang for said substantially flat spreader edge on said substantially flat and smooth upper surface of said template.

An apparatus for making a layered food product comprising:

• (a) a substantially flat template having a substantially flat and smooth upper surface and a substantially flat and smooth lower surface for anchoring a wrapper material in a substantially flat position;
• (b) an opening of a predetermined configuration connecting said substantially flat and smooth upper surface with said substantially flat and smooth lower surface;
• (c) a tapered edge in said opening tapering downwardly and outwardly from said substantially flat and smooth upper surface to said substantially flat and smooth lower surface;
• (d) a substantially flat spreader tool having a spreader edge of a length sufficient to span said opening and provide a supporting overhang between said spreader edge and said substantially flat and smooth upper surface of said substantially flat template;
• (e) a handle for holding said substantially flat spreader tool;
• and
• (f) a substantially flat area disposed intermediate said spreader edge and said handle for maintaining excess dough spread into said opening so that excess dough spread across said substantially flat template remains on said substantially flat spreader tool instead of on said substantially flat and smooth upper surface of said substantially flat template.