MAA'MOUL

The middle eastern cookies( ma'moul ) ingredients , u must have rosewater blossom and orange water blossom ( ma'award ) & ( ma'aa zahr )ماء ورد ، ماء زهر , dates ( agwa عجوه ) honey ,pistachios ,semolina ,melted ghee ,

Maamoul Mold ( u can buy them online : http://www.aldoukan.com/acb/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Product_ID=278 )

Dough:
2 cups - semolina
½ cup - all purpose flour (maida)

½ cup - melted ghee

½ cup - powdered sugar ( or more if you like sweet cookie covering)
1 tablespoon - rose water
1 teaspoon - active dried yeast melted in 1 tablespoon of luke warm water
Pinch of salt

Melt the ghee and cool it to room temperature. Sift the all purpose flour(maida) and mix it with semolina and ghee. Add the yeast water, rose water, powdered sugar and salt. Mix and make a dough by adding little bit of water. Set aside for about 3 hours, covered, to rest.

Dates- Pistachios Filling:
2 cups - fresh soft-pitted dates
½ cup shelled pistachios
¼ cup - powdered cane sugar
1 teaspoon - rose water
the filling of maamoul : (step 2)


pistachios & ma'azahr( orange blossom water ) mix together after grinding the pistachos with some sugar and blossom and leave overnight

step 2 : ad dates ( agwa ) عجوه or dates paste ,and ghee add some honey and mahlab محلب ( its blend o spice specially for the middle eastern cookies or kaa'ak and ma'amoul u can buy it from the middle eastern stores or online ,it contains : anise+ cinamon +black seed +mahlab +nutmeg ( but i alwaysorder my mahlab blend without nutmeg because its forbidden to eat somewhat )

mahlab blend in arabic :

المحلب

المكونة من اليانسون والقرفة وحبة البركة والمحلب وجوزة الطيب،
and Ma’amoul mould to press and shape the cookies
In a food processor, take pistachios and powder to fine. Then add the dates, sugar and rose water. Blend them together into fine paste. Remove to a cup.

After 3 hours of rest, knead and divide the dough into lime sized balls. Flatten each ball using your hand and lift the sides up to form a hollow. It is now ready for the filling. Place one tablespoon of dates-pistachios filling into the hollowed dough. Close the dough over the dates mixture. Press the edges to seal well. Press it into the ma’amoul mold to give it a decorated appearance. Reverse the mold; gently shake to loosen it from the mold. Prepare each one in this way and place them neatly in rows, on a greased/parchment paper lined baking tray.

Place the tray in a preheated oven at 350° F and bake for about 20 minutes. I reversed the cookies to the opposite side after 10 minutes in the oven for even baking. After 20 minutes or when they turn lightly golden, remove them from the oven and let them cool