Cream the lard with the ice cubes until it becomes fluffy.

Add the lard to the masa along with the baking powder and salt. Knead very well.

To check if the masa is ready, drop a small ball of dough into a glass of water. If it floats, it's ready. If so, add the pressed pork cracklings, mix well, and adjust seasoning if needed.

Place 2 tablespoons of the masa onto a corn husk, roll it up, fold the end, and arrange in a steamer. Once all are arranged, cover and steam for 45 minutes.

Check if the tamales are cooked by removing one and unwrapping it. If it separates easily from the husk, it's done.

Serve with a chili pepper and champurrado (Mexican chocolate drink).

You can use different fillings—just skip the pork cracklings and add your preferred filling, following the same process.

For sweet tamales, use sugar instead of salt and fill with your choice of fruit. You can cook the fruit with sugar, let it cool, then mix it into the masa before assembling.