Name: Humitas dulces
Prep time: 36 min
Cook time: 52 min
Total time: 103 min
Cuisine: Peruvian cuisine
Ingredients: 1000 g fresh choclo kernels — freshly cut from cobs; 95 g granulated sugar; 65 g unsalted butter; 160 ml whole milk; 70 g raisins; 3 g ground anise seed; 2 g ground cinnamon; 2 g fine salt; 10 whole corn husk pairs — two pliable clean husks per parcel, 20 usable husks; 3 m plain kitchen cotton twine — for ten ties; 1300 ml water — for steamer below rack

Humitas dulces — sweet steamed corn parcels with raisins

Yield 10 sweet humitas

Prep 36 minutes

Cook 52 minutes

Passive 15 minutes

Total 103 minutes

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Humitas dulces — sweet steamed corn parcels with raisins

Humitas dulces are a sweet counterpart to savoury Andean corn parcels. Fresh corn is ground, mixed with sugar and fat and steamed in the husks that once held the kernels. Their texture should be soft and delicately grainy rather than bread-like. They can be eaten as a snack or dessert without a separate sauce.

Peruvian versions vary in their flavouring and filling: cinnamon, anise, raisins and manjar blanco appear in different recipes. The measured preparation here uses raisins and a small quantity of anise with no manjar filling. That distinction keeps both the sweetness and the steam time manageable for a home cook.

The main difficulty is balancing fresh corn moisture. Blend it into a thick paste, heat it until it holds a mound on a spoon and then wrap in pliable husks. A loosely folded parcel may open or collect steam water; overlapping husks keep the masa protected until set.

Ingredients

Sweet corn masa

1000 g fresh choclo kernels — freshly cut from cobs
95 g granulated sugar
65 g unsalted butter
160 ml whole milk
70 g raisins
3 g ground anise seed
2 g ground cinnamon
2 g fine salt
10 whole corn husk pairs — two pliable clean husks per parcel, 20 usable husks
3 m plain kitchen cotton twine — for ten ties

Steamer

1300 ml water — for steamer below rack

Method

Soften the corn husks.Select 20 large undamaged corn husks, rinse them and immerse them in hot water for 5 minutes. Pat dry and lay in overlapping pairs. Each husk folds without a brittle split along its veins. Time: 8 minutes.
Blend the fresh corn.Process 1000 g of kernels with the measured 160 ml milk in batches into a slightly coarse paste. Avoid adding water, which would leave a loose mass. The mixture is thick and spoonable, with tiny pieces of corn still visible. Time: 10 minutes.
Cook the lightly sweetened masa.Melt the butter in a broad saucepan on low heat. Add corn mixture, sugar, anise, cinnamon and salt; stir for 12 minutes until glossy and thick, scraping the base to prevent scorching. A spoonful of paste holds a low mound instead of spreading flat. Time: 12 minutes.
Stir in the raisins and cool.Fold the 70 g raisins through the hot masa and move it into a shallow covered tray and cool for 10 minutes. The raisins are evenly scattered and the paste is warm enough to handle. Time: 10 minutes passive cooling.
Wrap ten equal portions.Divide the masa between ten husk pairs, folding the bottom up and sides inward, then secure each packet with a twine tie. Do not pack them so tightly that the corn has no space to swell. The packets are closed and approximately equal in size. Time: 18 minutes.
Steam until the corn sets.Pour 1300 ml water into the steamer base and set a rack above it. Lay the ten humitas above the water, cover and steam at a steady simmer for 40 minutes. The masa is tender but no longer loose or visibly wet at the centre. Time: 40 minutes.
Rest before serving.Transfer the parcels to a clean tray and rest for 5 minutes before removing string and peeling away the husks. The cakes separate from the husks without spilling. Time: 5 minutes passive resting.

Practical

Practical guidance

These humitas should taste of corn first, with moderate sweetness and a little anise; raisins provide occasional bursts of sweetness. Serve warm after the brief rest or cool rapidly if preparing ahead. A larger amount of milk may make the mix too loose to wrap, so keep to the measured 160 ml. Some sweet humitas contain manjar blanco as a centre; that is a different, sweeter filling and not necessary for these parcels. Store cooked humitas in closed, shallow containers at 4 °C or below for no more than three to four days, and reheat thoroughly to 74 °C before serving warm. Discard wrappers and twine.

Control points

Parcels are gummy at the centreThe fresh corn was too wet or the parcels were crowded. Cook the masa to a spoon-holding consistency and allow free steam circulation.
Corn paste scorches in the panHeat was too high or stirring stopped. Use a low flame and scrape the base steadily.

Nutrition per 1 of 10 sweet corn parcels

Serving size1 of 10 sweet corn parcels
Caloriesapproximately 255 kcal
Carbohydrates36 g
Protein5 g
Fat11 g
Fibre3 g
Sodiumapproximately 130 mg

Allergens and food safety

Contains milk and butter (dairy). Corn husks and twine are inedible. Use fresh refrigerated milk; cool steamed portions in shallow containers within two hours and reheat stored portions to 74 °C.

Closing

Result: Freshly ground choclo is sweetened with sugar and scented with anise, then folded with raisins into corn husks and steamed.
Decisive control: The fresh corn was too wet or the parcels were crowded. Cook the masa to a spoon-holding consistency and allow free steam circulation.