2cans (28 oz each) (800 gr each)sweetened pineapple sliceswith syrup
4cloveswhole
3cinnamon sticks
4.40oz (125 gr)unsalted butter
4.40oz (125 gr)vegetable shortening
2Cwhite sugar
2tspbaking powder
2tspsalt
1 can (11.50 fl oz) (340 ml)evaporated milk
1 1/2Cpineapple juice
(1 kg)corn flour(we recommend maseca)
Instructions
In a big bowl with water soak the corn husks and leave them there.
In the blender, blend the pineapple syrup of the two cans, 6 of the pineapple slices, the cloves and cinnamon, sift this mixture then pour onto a bowl and set aside.
On a cutting board, cut into small chunks the remaining pineapple slices. Add this pineapple chunks to the previous mixture and mix using a spoon.
In a big bowl, using your bare clean hands, mix the butter, vegetable shortening, and sugar, until well incorporated, and the butter turns a little whitish.
Now add the baking powder, salt and evaporated milk and mix again.
Add the pineapple mixture to the main, butter one and incorporate still using your hands.
Add a third of the pineapple juice and mix, then a third of the corn flour and mix again, alternating between the juice and flour, ending with the last conr flour third, kneading, so that a soft and easy to handle dough results.
You may need to add some more water, if that´s the case start by adding 1 C , and only if needed add the second cup.
Drain the conr husks and dry them a little with a kitchen towel. Cut and pull some of the corn husks to create strings which will serve to tie the tamales up.
Assemble the tamales. You can do this two ways, one is by taking about half a cup of dough and placing it onto a corn husk, in the middle, to then fold and wrap the corn husk into itself and tie up the top part with one of the strings., which results in smallaer than usual tamales, just like ours in the pictures. The traditional way is to take one corn husk and place about 1 1/2 cup of dough on it to then start rolling horizontally, using a second corn husk if neccesary, as if wrapping a classic candy and then tie the tamal up on both sides. Both ways are correct.
Once ready, place them in a big steaming pot and cook to medium high heat on the stove for an hour aporx. being careful that the pot doesn´t run out of water in the process so that the tamales don´t burn.