You can add up to 4 tablespoons more flour if your dough seems too wet, but you probably won’t need it—and no matter what you do, don’t add more flour than that! Her love for cultural cuisines was instilled early by her French Canadian Grandmother. 1. Cover the dough and set aside to rest for 10 minutes, while you prepare the filling. The wonderful, sweet and fragrant center of these cookies is made from naturally super-sweet dates that have been turned into a jam-like paste. of pitted Medjool dates into a 4 cup glass measuring cup. Hi Kayla. Then, flatten the cookie slightly. f Thanks for the great post! Cover the dough, put it in the freezer to stiffen slightly, about 5 to 10 minutes, and then knead it again for a couple minutes. By Sarah Ozimek | Published: March 26, 2018 | Last Modified: November 18, 2019 | 4 Comments. What a lovely story, beautifully written. While these cookies are a bit time-consuming, if you have a free afternoon they really are worth every effort. At some point while incorporating the oil and the sugar syrup, you will probably think that there is absolutely no way the dough will take any more liquid. Form it into a 1/3 in. The rubbing action means less development of the flour’s gluten proteins. 5. Pour the oils and butter on top of the flour … Place the maamoul on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and cook in a … Take 1 piece of the smaller dough balls, slightly flatten it, and put it on top of the date mixture in the mold. Maamoul (also written Ma’amoul) are an ancient cookie from the Arab world. This is all well and good, but it does make a sticky mess inside your food processor. Is it possible to use dried apricots for this filling–it just seems like a good idea? It is a low-carb, gluten-free and vegan dish that can be made in one pan and served atop greens or grains, as a side to a main entrée, or all on its own. You can store these beauties for up to a month in an airtight container at room temperature (their flavor actually improves as the spices in the filling have the chance to mingle). This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Speaking of grinding dates yourself, I have to warn you, this next set of pictures isn’t pretty on any level. Arrange the cookies about ½ to 1 inch apart on Silpat or parchment paper-lined large baking sheets. Traditionally, they are made with a tabbeh (a beautifully carved wooden mold for making maamoul) to make maamoul, and they mold the cookies in their distinctive shapes. These three are the most common fillings you will find for maamoul. (You will need the same amount of date balls as you have of large dough balls and small dough balls, so a 1:1:1 ratio of each.) Not only because these cookies are delicious and sure to impress whoever you share them with but also because for me, they hold a deeper, much more special meaning: I learned how to make them from my Syrian mother-in-law Sahar in her tiny kitchen in Damascus. e. These beautiful cookies are perfect for any special occasion. I wish we could take a step into my mother-in-law’s kitchen together, but for now mine will have to do. Bake them (at 350ºF) until they look like this (about 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the trays once)—gorgeously golden on the bottom. Place dates in large bowl and cover completely with purified water. 9. Place Medjool dates in a glass or ceramic bowl and pour hot water over them. Should I add more flour to it ? Gosh, they’re pretty, aren’t they? Maamoul Cookies are melt in your mouth, date filled cookies that are low in sugar but robust in flavor. If you can’t find, make your own by chopping the medjool dates. Add the yeast and milk mixture and vanilla. Clarified butter (ghee): I don’t recommend replacing the ghee in this recipe with regular butter because of the different water content. Continue this way until you run out of dough and/or date filling. © Copyright 2006-2021, The Pioneer Woman | Ree Drummond.All Rights ReservedPowered by WordPress, Ground Mahlab (ground Seed Kernel From St Lucie Cherries), Pitted Dates, Coarsely Chopped (or Date Paste), All-purpose flour, Plus Up To 4 Tablespoons More For Kneading, Vegan Lemon Kale Spaghetti with Spicy Sausage, Middle Eastern Date-Filled Cookies (Ma’amoul), An Edible Mosaic: Middle Eastern Fare with Extraordinary Flair. And feel free to share (if you want). To do so, measure 1 slightly scant tablespoon of dough and roll it into a ball; slightly flatten it with your hands, then hold it in the palm of 1 hand. Date filling. You can also find it online.But most online vendors we found require you to buy quite a lot, which may not be practical if you just want to experiment with it a bit. It’s completely vegan, gluten-free and keto and is ready in just 5 minutes! Put the flour into a large bowl and whisk in the yeast. Most recipes for making date paste have you grind the dates in a food processor with some oil until they turn into a paste. The shape of the mold signifies what filling is inside the cookie. And watch videos demonstrating recipe prep and cooking techniques. If you can’t find it, although the flavor won’t be quite the same, for a similar flavor you could add a couple drops of pure almond extract. This mac and cheese is gooey, spiced with Old Bay, and couldn’t be easier to make! Related Categories: Around the World, Dessert Recipes, Easter, Middle Eastern Recipes, Ramadan You May Also Be Interested In: Cookies. Mahlab is a lovely spice—it smells like a cross between almonds and cherries, and can be found at specialty spice shops or Middle Eastern grocery stores. I am absolutely thrilled to be sharing this recipe with you today. For the date filling, you need date paste. Knead this all together until a dough forms. To remove the cookie from the mold, hold the mold by the handle and tap the flat rim on a secure surface; the cookie will drop right out. Measure 1 teaspoon of the date mixture and roll it into a ball; slightly flatten it and gently press it into the dough in the mold. rope and place the rope directly on the dough. But, this method is a great option if you are without a food processor or are looking for easy clean up! Once processed, oil your hands and knead the cake spice mix into the dates. If you need to grind the date paste yourself, a stand mixer fitted with a food grinding attachment (fine grind) really is the best way to go, but a super heavy-duty food processor will also work—just be sure to use canola oil to oil the blade well first. So call in some friends or family and have a cookie-making party! My dough looks greasy and is on the softer side . To shape the cookies with a ma’amoul mold (see note below), measure 1 slightly scant tablespoon of dough and roll it into a ball; slightly flatten it with your hands, then press it into the bottom and up the sides of the mold. When we make it, we make enough for 30+ people and give to all of our friends. Method. Mix well and roll into long logs and set aside. These pancakes are so delicious you won’t even realize they’re good for you too! Our family’s favorite dill pickles! Divide the date mass into 32 portions and roll them into smooth balls. Since , I made my own date paste , it’s runny and it won’t turn into a ball . Both the dough and the filling come together pretty easily. If you give it a try, stop back by and let us know how much you used! Cover the dough with plastic wrap and put it in the freezer to cool and stiffen slightly, about 10 minutes, then take it out and knead it for a couple minutes more. 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