Arabic Cookies Food

MAAMOUL (ARABIAN DATE FILLED COOKIES)

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix the milk and yeast. Set aside until the yeast has softened and is foamy, 3-5 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, mix flour and sugar.
• Rub the oil and melted butter into the flour with your fingertips, until the mixture is an even, sandy texture.
• Add the yeast and milk mixture and vanilla. Mix gently with your fingers.
• Add water, a little at a time, mixing gently after each addition, until the dough comes together in a soft and shaggy dough.
• Cover the dough and set aside to rest for 10 minutes, while you prepare the filling.
• Place the chopped dates in a small saucepan along with the other filling ingredients.
• Cover the saucepan and heat over medium heat, 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the dates soften and become jam-like.
• Preheat your oven to 350F.
• Separate the dough into 1 Tbsp sections. Roll each section into a ball.
• Flatten one ball of dough into a disc and place 1 tsp of filling on the center. Fold the edges of the dough around the filling, pressing them together to seal in the filling.
• Roll the filled cookie gently between your hands to bring it back to a nice ball shape. Then, flatten the cookie slightly.
• Decorate, if desired, using a fork or press the filled cookie into a floured mold and tap it out.
• Place the filled and shaped cookies onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, 1 inch apart.
• Bake the cookies for 25 minutes, rotating the baking sheet once during cooking. Remove the cookies when they are lightly golden brown.
• Let the maamoul cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar.
• Store the maamoul in an airtight container on the counter for 2-3 weeks.

LEBANESE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• In mixing bowl, beat cooking oil and butter until blended; beat in sugar.
• Add orange juice, baking powder and baking soda, mix well.
• Gradually add flour to make a soft dough.
• With clean hands, shape dough into 2-inch ovals. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden.
• Cool about 2 minutes and remove to a wire rack.
• Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine the 3/4 cup sugar, honey and 1/2 cup water, bring to a boil. Gently boil, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Dip the COOLED cookies into the warm syrup.
• Sprinkle immediately with the finely chopped walnuts.
• Return to wire rack to set.

MA'AMOUL (LEBANESE DATE COOKIES)

Steps:

• Mix semolina flour, all-purpose flour, mahlab, and salt together in a large bowl. Work clarified butter into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until thoroughly incorporated. Cover bowl and let dough rest at room temperature, 8 hours to overnight.
• Pour milk into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave until just warm, about 15 seconds. Stir in sugar and yeast until dissolved. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Pour yeast mixture and orange blossom water over the dough and mix until evenly moistened. Pinch off a piece of dough and roll into a ball; it should hold its shape without cracking. Add more milk or orange blossom water if needed. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
• Sprinkle some flour over the ma'amoul molds and tap out the excess. Pinch off a walnut-sized piece of dough and roll into a ball. Press your thumb into the ball to create space for the filling. Work the edges with your fingers so the sides are even and fairly thin. Drop in a piece of date paste and pinch dough over it to seal.
• Place cookie into the mold cavity seam-side up. Press down so that the top is flush with edges of the mold. Trim off any excess dough. Invert the mold and tap it against your work surface to release the cookie. Repeat with remaining dough and date paste, arranging cookies 1 inch apart on the baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven, 1 baking sheet at a time, until edges and bottoms are golden but tops are still mostly pale, about 15 minutes.
• Sift powdered sugar over the cookies while still slightly warm. Let cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

ARABIAN GULF SHORTBREAD COOKIES (GHIRAYBAH)

Steps:

• First of all, sifting is an important part which must not be left out or the cookies will not turn out the right texture so be sure you have a sieve.
• If need be, chill samneh or butter in refrigerator if too soft. (It should be somewhat soft just not very soft)
• Put samneh in mixing bowl and beat until light. Gradually add sifted icing sugar, beating until very creamy and light.
• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Sift flour and fold into butter mixture. Knead lightly until smooth. (Don't overdo it) If kitchen is hot, chill dough in refrigerator for 1-2 hours.
• Roll pieces of dough into balls the size of a walnut and place on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten slightly. Flour hand lightly if necessary. Top half or all with a slivered almond. (I like to do half with the nuts and half with the dusting of icing sugar after cooled).
• Bake in the preheated moderately slow oven for 20-25 minutes until very lightly coloured. Cool on baking sheets. Dust the other half without the almond slivers with icing sugar. (Makes for a pretty presentation of the mixed biscuits on a platter) then remove. These are very delicate biscuits and must be handled carefully.
• Enjoy!

BARAZIQ -- SESAME COOKIES (SYRIA -- MIDDLE EAST)

Steps:

• FOR THE COOKIES: In a mixing bowl, combine sugar & butter & stir together with a wooden spoon until completely blended.
• Add rest of the cookie ingredients & blend with your hands until there is a soft dough. (If too soft to work with immediately, refrigerate for 1 hour.).
• Divide dough into 18 pieces to make small baraziq.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F & line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Shape each ball of dough with your hands until you have a thin disk about 2 1/2 inches across, & place it on a large platter. Repeat with the other pieces of dough.
• FOR THE GARNISH: Put the egg white in a saucer, the pistachio nuts in another saucer & the sesame seeds in a third saucer.
• Dip each of the shaped disks in the egg white, then in the pistachios ON ONE SIDE ONLY & then in the toasted sesame seeds on the other side, making sure you coat them well with the seeds.
• Arrange the coated disks, pistachio side down, on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake 25-35 minutes or until cookies are golden brown, then let cool before serving. Keep uneaten cookies up to 2 weeks in a tightly sealed container.