Maa’moul is a stuffed kind cookie which can be made with a combination or flour or with added semolina flour or with only semolina, the leavening agent could be yeast or baking powder. The texture of the cookie can be soft and crumbly to hard and crunchy depending on how much ghee is added and personal preferences. The amount of stuffing is also a personal preference.
My first memories of maa'moul were as a child watching mom making them. To me, it meant one thing only. EID is nearing. We would count the days to collect our eidiyeh ( which is a small sum of money given to children from parents and relatives). We would wait anxiously for the day to come so we can wear our new clothes and have enough money to buy all the candy we desired. If only I could go back for one day to experience it all over again.
What I love most about this dessert is that preparing it is a tradition that still continues even though it has evolved slightly. My mother would tell me stories of her childhood where preparing maa’moul was a very social event where female relatives and neighbours would gather together and help chop, make the dough, stuff etc…. every lady had a role. Time would pass quickly, and the workload was light as the ladies would tell stories, jokes, share their problems or just partake in some harmless gossip. Families took turns in preparing this, and the ladies went from house to house until all the homes of the participants were ready for Eid. With teamwork, hard work became fun work.
The prepared maa'moul would be placed on a Saj, which was a rectangle metal tray ready for the men and kids to take it to the local baker, the whole neighbourhood would be queuing waiting for their saj to enter the wood-fired oven. This event would start a few days before Eid and always after the iftar. The delicious aroma these freshly baked cookies would fill the air, and ever a few went missing upon the return home.
I have shared with you how I like it and if you have never tried it before I hope you give it a try.
Yield: around 65 pieces
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Start to finish: 1 hour plus shaping and baking time
Ingredients:
For the dough:
500 grams all-purpose flour
250 grams fine semolina flour
250 grams Ghee
1/2 cup warm water
1 teaspoon instant yeast
1/2 cup sugar
1 pinch salt
FILLINGS
Pistachio:
100 grams ground pistachio nut
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons orange blossom water
2 teaspoons ghee
Walnut:
100 grams finely chopped walnuts
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons orange blossom water
2 teaspoons ghee
Dates:
200 grams date paste
Cinnamon powder if desired
Different wooden moulds
Method:
· In a bowl mix the flour, semolina, salt, sugar, yeast and ghee, keep mixing with the fingertips until all the ghee is incorporated.
· Add the warm water and knead for 2 minutes until you can form a ball. If you find the dough is too hard and flakes add a little bit more water or ghee.
· wrap the ball of dough in plastic and leave to rest for 30 to 60 minutes maximum.
· Work with the dough in small batches and keep it covered at all time.
· To know if the dough consistency is ready for shaping, you must be able to form a little ball without any hairline cracks. If you have cracks, you may add drops of water or ghee and knead it.
· Form small balls according to the size of the mould, you need to take into calculation the volume of the filling as well. This is by trial and error; eventually, you will get the size right.
· For the date filling, make small balls of dough and little balls of the date paste. If the date is sticking to the palm of your hand just brush the palms with ghee or oil and wipe off the access.
· The date ball must be totally covered with the dough ball and to achieve this, you can flatten the dough on a surface to 3 mm thickness then place the date ball in the centre and seal the dough. If you are familiar with kibbeh forming, you can apply the same method.
· Press the ball into the mould gently with the palm of the hand, so the dough takes the shape of the pattern.
· Using the very edge of the countertop, turn the mould upside down and place your hand under the cookie and tap the mould, so the shaped cookie falls into the palm of your hand.
· For the Pistachio filling, mix the ingredients together and place a spoon full in the centre and repeat the process as in making the date filling.
· The same technique applies to the walnut filling.
· Preheat the oven to 180 C fan setting.
· Place the shaped pastries on a tray lined with baking paper. Bake similar shapes together.
· Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 12 to 14 minutes, it will be ready when the colour starts to turn slightly golden.
· Take out and place on a cooling rack until totally cooled.
Notes:
· Adding more ghee produces and softer and flaky texture.
· If you desire powdered sugar on top, do so when they are hot out of the oven.
· Store in a sealed airtight container for up to a month.
Per Serving: 110 Calories; 5g Fat (44.1% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 14g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 11mg Cholesterol; 4mg Sodium.
