SWEET TAMALES

4 ounces dried corn husks (about 32 husks)
1 1/4 cups masa harina
2 golden delicious apples peeled, cored and coarsely chopped
1/3 cup raisins
1 cup and 1 tbs sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Separate husks and soak in a large bowl of hot water until pliable, about 1 hour.

Put masa harina into a medium bowl and add 1 1/4 cups boiling water and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth. Cover dough with plastic wrap and set aside to cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.

Place rains, apples, 5 tbs sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon and 3 cups of water into a medium pot and simmer over medium heat for about 30 minutes.

Strain leaving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Transfer fruit to a bowl and mash with a fork. Then add vanilla. Set aside fruit and cooking liquid to cool completely.

Beat the vegetable;e shortening in a large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add masa dough and remaining sugar and cinnamon and beat until smooth, about 1 minute.

Gradually add 3/4-1 cup of saved cooking liquid while continuing to beat mixture until it reaches the consistency of a thick cake batter. Add baking powder and salt and beat masa dough about 1 minute more.

Drain the husks. Tear 8 husks lengthwise into 48 thin strips and set aside. Place 24 husks, concave side up, on work surface.

Place 2 tbs of masa dough into the center of each husk and spoon 1 heaping tsp of mashed fruit in the center of the masa. Fold long sides over the filling and then tie the ends of the tamale shut with the husk strips. Repeat process to make 24 tamales.

As you make each tamales. place them upright leaning one against the other in the top of a steamer. Place steamer over a pot of simmering water over medium heat, cover, and steam husks until husks separate from filling easily, about 1 hour.

Allow to stand for about 15 minutes before serving.

Makes 24 tamales

MEXICAN WEDDING COOKIES

8 tbs butter at room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1 cup sifted flour
1 cup finely ground pecans or walnuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Beat the butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium until fluffy. Add the vanilla and 2 tbs of confectioners sugar and beat well.

Beat in the flour and stir in the nuts.

Shape the dough into 1 inch balls using about 1 tbs of dough for each ball and place about an inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake until pale brown, about 15 minute. Rotate the cookie sheet about half way through baking time to make sure the cookies bake evenly.

Place cookies on a rack to cool and then roll them into the remaining confectioners sugar.

Tie each cookie up in frilly white paper for presentation.

Makes about 24 cookies

NARANJAS RELLENAS DE COCO (oranges stuffed with coconut)

4 thinned skinned oranges (can also use limes)
4 1/2 cups sugar
1 2/3 cups shredded unsweetened coconut

Simmer orange in a large pot of water over medium heat for about 1 hour and then drain. Dissolve 4 cups of sugar in 4 cups of water in a large pot over medium low heat.

Slice about one half and inch off the top of each orange and add oranges and tops to the water.

Simmer over low heat for about 2 1/2 hours.

Dissolve remaining sugar in 1/2 cups of water in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add coconut and boil until most of the water evaporates, about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Remove oranges from cooking liquid and set aside to drain and cool completely.

Boil cooking liquid over medium high heat until syrupy, about 15 minutes.
Set aside to cool completely.

Spoon coconut filling into each orange. The inside of the oranges will mostly have dissolved. Set and orange top on each orange and serve with the syrup.

Makes 4