Pumpkin Spiced Tamales

By Meli

Ingredients

• 40-60 dried corn husks
• 7 Cups Maseca corn flour
• 2 Cups packed brown sugar
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. ginger
• 1 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 tsp. nutmeg 2 29-ounce cans of pumpkin puree
• 4 sticks of butter, melted
• 2 Cups of warm water
• 2 Cups of walnuts, chopped
• 2 Cups of raisins
• Queso Fresco (optional)

Details

Adapted from hispanickitchen.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preparation
Fill a large bowl with warm water and soak corn husks until softened, about 30 minutes.
In an extra large bowl add Maseca corn flour and the rest of the dry ingredients. Mix together making sure that all of the clumps are broken up with your fingers. Then add all of the wet ingredients and once again, use your hands to mix the corn flour. Add more water as needed until you achieve the consistency of peanut butter. Fold in the walnuts and raisins.
Assemble the tamales by using a rubber spatula to spread ½ cup to 1 cup of dough mixture onto the corn husk, depending on the size of the corn husk. The spread should cover about two thirds of the husk, away from the pointed end, making sure you leave some space on each side to fold. Gently fold one side of the corn husk to the other end and fold up the pointed end across. Lay each tamale fold-side down. There should be an open end to each tamale.
Once the tamales are folded fill a 24 qt. Tamale Steamer with water just below the fill line and place the steam tray on the rack. Carefully place each tamale standing up on the steam tray without overloading it and bring water to a simmer. Steam with the lid on for 90 minutes.
Remove each tamale with tongs and let rest for a few minutes before serving it as a sweet side-dish or grated with queso fresco.