1. Soak corn husks in water for at least four hours.
2. Combine masa flour, butter, milk, and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until fluffy. This dough is called masa, and it’s important to get it to the right consistency. If it’s too dry, add a little more milk, but not too much because the masa should be light, not dense or wet. Remember,
¡Masa matters!3. Toss together the pecans, raisins, brown sugar, cloves, and cinnamon.
4. Rinse the husks as you pull them out of the water. Each corn husk has a shiny side and a dull side. You are going to want the dull side to face out, so you’ll spread your prepared chocolate masa on the shiny side of the husk. Using a masa spreader, spread the masa evenly, 1/8-¼ of an inch thick across the breadth of the husk, and from the top of the husk to about ¾ its length.
5. Spoon some of the nut mixture in the center of the masa.
6. Fold the left side past the center and then the right side over it, wrapping the filling inside the masa. Fold the bottom part of the husk up so it creases about at the point where the masa ends inside the husk. Use strips of the husk to tie it.
7. In the bottom compartment of your tamales steamer, called a
tamalera, pour about 2 inches of water. Place the rack into the
tamalera and arrange the tamales with their tops of the pointing up.
8. Steam them over medium heat for about an hour. You will know they are done when you can stick a fork into the side of one and have it come out clean.
9. Enjoy the tamales with
whipped cream.
