Ma'amoul (date-filled semolina cookies)

A Levantine festive cookie baked for Easter and the end of Ramadan (Eid): a crumbly, buttery semolina dough with a date, walnut or pistachio filling, pressed into a patterned wooden mold.

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Method

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1. Mix the semolina with the flour, pour over the melted butter, and rub it in with your palms until every grain is coated. Cover and let sit for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight. ⏱ Timer: 2 h
2. Add the sugar, yeast, rose water, orange blossom water and enough lukewarm milk to make a soft, workable dough; rest for 30 minutes. ⏱ Timer: 30 min
3. Knead the dates with the butter and cinnamon (if firm, soak in hot water for 5 minutes first), and shape into 30 small balls. ⏱ Timer: 5 min
4. Shape the dough into walnut-sized balls, press a well into each with your thumb, insert a date ball, and fold the dough over to seal.
5. Press into a ma'amoul mold and tap out, or flatten slightly by hand and mark a pattern on top with a fork.
6. Bake on a lined tray at 180 °C for 15-18 minutes until the bottom is lightly golden (the top should stay pale). ⏱ Timer: 15 min
7. Let cool completely, then dust with icing sugar.

A Receptnaptár original recipe. Calories and protein are estimated.

Tips

• Can also be filled with walnuts: 200 g ground walnuts, 3 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp rose water.
• Keeps 2 weeks in an airtight container.

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