Tamale dulce

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. natural maple syrup
• 4 star anise
• 3 whole cloves
• Half an orange, cut in half
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 110 g masa harina
• 1/4 cup fresh whole corn kernels
• 1 tbsp toasted pine nuts
• 4 tbsp sultana raisins softened in hot water
• 6 tbsp. l. grated asadero cheese
• 2 peeled bananas, halved lengthwise and then sliced
• 6 banana leaves, cut into 20x25cm pieces.

Preparation:

1. In a large saucepan, combine the syrup, anise, cloves, orange, and cinnamon stick. Simmer the mixture over low heat for 5 minutes. Strain the mixture into the masa harina and stir.
2. Add corn, pine nuts, sultana raisins, asadero cheese and banana pieces to the dough.
3. Preheat oven to 175°C.
4. Thaw a package of banana leaves by placing the still-sealed leaves in a shallow pan of hot water until thawed.
5. Open the package and rinse the leaves in cool water, then cut into pieces of the desired size. Assemble the tamales by placing 100 grams of dough in the center of each banana leaf. Fold the leaf in half at the sides and fold the filling over it. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.