They are an ancient Arab dessert that are often made to celebrate Eid, the end of Ramadan. Traditionally, maamoul are shaped using a mold called a tabbeh. Gently press the dough on top into the dough on the bottom so the date filling is completely covered. Meanwhile, to make the filling, place the dates, butter and spices in a saucepan with 50ml/2fl oz of water, and bring to the boil. Rugelach with Two Fillings (Chocolate Raspberry and Walnut Cinnamon), Alfajores (Argentinian Dulce de Leche Cookies), Chocolate French Macarons with Raspberry Filling, Simmer until the dates soften into a paste, Round with a flat top means a date stuffed maamoul, Round with a cone shaped top means walnut filled maamoul, Oblong maamoul are stuffed with a pistachio filling, Take a tablespoon of dough and flatten it into a circle, Wrap the dough up around the filling, pinching to seal the cookie, If desired, decorate the cookie using a fork or the plates from a cookie press. The dough is sweetened with simple sugar syrup, so add the sugar and water to a small saucepan over medium heat. Our family’s favorite dill pickles! In a small bowl, mix the milk and yeast. Bake the cookies for 25 minutes, rotating the baking sheet once during cooking. My dough looks greasy and is on the softer side . And watch videos demonstrating recipe prep and cooking techniques. However, these cookies can also be shaped by hand. Most recipes for making date paste have you grind the dates in a food processor with some oil until they turn into a paste. Sarah is the co-owner of Curious Cuisiniere and the chief researcher and recipe developer for the site. This results in a cookie that is tender and crumbly. Work clarified butter … 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. This is all well and good, but it does make a sticky mess inside your food processor. Here’s the dough after a brief chill in the freezer. Gradually stir the oil mixture into the flour …. Traditionally Maamoul contain a spice called mahlab. Thanks so much for the evocative story of learning the recipe in your mother-in-law’s kitchen! Knead this all together until a dough forms. Bring to a boil (swirling the pan, but not stirring), boil for 1 minute, and then turn the heat off and cool slightly. You can shape them into regular cookie shapes and fill them with date paste. As a bonus, they will keep nicely for up to a month stored in an airtight container at room temperature. 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. Here’s the ground date paste (left), the date paste with spice (center), and the date paste after kneading the spice in. Practice a bit and you’ll easily get the hang of it.). Clarified butter (ghee): I don’t recommend replacing the ghee in this recipe with regular butter because of the different water content. Cool. 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. Maamoul Cookies are Middle Eastern cookies filled with dates and pistachio. Decorate, if desired, using a fork or press the filled cookie into a floured mold and tap it out. The key is to add everything gradually and fully stir it in between each addition. A marble or granite counter is helpful here. Since , I made my own date paste , it’s runny and it won’t turn into a ball . If you’re using a food processor, before you add any dates, (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.) While they are a bit time-consuming to make, if you have an afternoon free they’re definitely worth the effort. Bake them (at 350ºF) until they look like this (about 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the trays once)—gorgeously golden on the bottom. e. These beautiful cookies are perfect for any special occasion. When we make it, we make enough for 30+ people and give to all of our friends. Layer date paste between two cookies and sprinkle the top with sesame seeds. I bought myself a nice big pack of dates a couple days ago as they are now on sale. It tastes like dessert but is made entirely from superfoods, so its incredibly nourishing for your body! What can I do to make it thick ? 9. 2. Mix the flour, semolina, sesame seeds, nigella seeds, anise seeds, baking powder and yeast. If you’re using pitted, chopped dates or date paste that isn’t completely smooth, you’ll need to grind it yourself. Ma’amoul means “stuffed” and these cookies can be stuffed with a number of different fillings; date filling is traditional for holidays, but walnut and pistachio are common too. The combination of moist date filling and crumbly cookie exterior means that maamoul will stay fresh for quite some time. Thanks for the lovely step by step photos. Packed with garlic and fresh dill, these crisp dill pickles will add a boost of flavor to any meal. https://www.thespruceeats.com/easy-maamoul-pastry-recipe-2355440 Yes, the resulting paste will be a bit more chunky than a blended-smooth paste. This brings back great memories about delicious Syrian foods and afternoons spent in my grandma’s kitchen. For a quicker version you can use 1 cup boiling hot water. In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook the chopped dates with the butter, stirring until the dates are broken down to a paste. Mix together the spices for the cake spice mix. Form it into a 1/3 in. 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. She has traveled extensively and enjoys bringing the flavors of her travels back to create easy-to-make recipes. Posted by Faith (An Edible Mosaic) in Baking, Step-by-Step Recipes. The shape of the mold signifies what filling is inside the cookie. Your email address will not be published. My parents are both Syrian and my grandma taught me how to make these cookies. These cookies truly have an ancient history. Probably just a pinch or two would be needed. a Once dates are softened, place dates and soaking water into high powered blender or food processor. Continue this way until you run out of dough and/or date filling. Your mouth, date filled maamoul makes about 20 cookies. ) to double, which I often because... A brief chill in the mold over and give to all of our friends glass measuring cup chopped dates. To loosen it. ) can commonly be found at regular grocery.. From ground cherry pits to over-work the dough hand becomes the mold. ) cover this with plastic wrap place... 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