Maamoul Bars Maamoul Maad Food

MA'AMOUL

Steps:

• For the dough: Put the semolina, flour, granulated sugar and baking powder in a large bowl and stir with a wooden spoon to combine. (It's important not to use your hands to make the dough because the natural heat of your hands will make the dough release oil, resulting in dry dough.) Mix in the ghee. The mixture will feel and look like crumbs. Add the milk slowly (2 tablespoons at a time) and mix to combine until you have a soft dough that you can make into small balls. It's best to add the milk slowly so the dough doesn't come together before all the milk is added.
• For the date filling: Put the baking dates, ghee, cinnamon and cardamom in a medium bowl and mix with a spoon until the ghee and spices are combined well with the dates. Rub some ghee or vegetable oil on your palms to avoid sticking and shape the date filling into 40 to 45 small balls for a small ma'amoul mold. If using a larger mold, shape the balls accordingly.
• Preheat the oven 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Roll the semolina dough into 40 to 45 balls as well.
• Flatten a semolina dough ball and place a date ball in the middle of it. Bring the dough together to cover the date ball and roll in your hands to smooth the cracks. Place the ball in the ma'amoul mold and gently press it so the pattern prints on it. Bang the mold against a cutting board to release the cookie and place it smooth-side down on the prepared baking sheet. If you don't own a mold, simply flatten the stuffed dough ball into a 1/2-inch-thick disk and make a simple pattern by pressing a fork gently on the dough to make a crisscross. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. You can place the cookies quite close to each other since they won't spread.
• Bake until the cookies are slightly golden brown around the edges, 18 to 20 minutes. Let them cool completely, then dust with confectioners' sugar if desired.

MA'AMOUL BARS - MA'AMOUL MAAD

Steps:

• First make the dough. Put the butter into a small saucepan and place on a very low heat, for about 2 minutes, just to melt. Put the semolina, flour, icing sugar, yeast, mahleb, ground aniseed and ½ teaspoon of salt into a free-standing mixer bowl with the paddle attachment in place. Mix on a low speed for a minute, to combine. With the mixer still on a low speed, pour in the melted butter, continuing to mix until well combined and the texture is that of sticky, wet sand. Cover the bowl with a plate and leave for about 4 hours, at room temperature, for the semolina to really absorb the fat. Letting it rest for this long makes it much easier to work with. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan. Grease well and line the base and sides of a 30 x 20cm baking tray and set aside. If making the date filling: put all the ingredients for the filling into a medium saucepan and place on a low heat. Heat for 8 minutes, stirring a few times, to form a mushy, sticky paste. Remove from the heat and set aside. If you make this in advance you'll want to warm it through a little when filling the pastry: it's much easier to spread when warm. If making the pistachio filling: spread the pistachios out on a parchment-lined tray and toast for about 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside until completely cool. Put the honey, orange blossom water and 3 tablespoons of water into a small bowl. Mix well to combine and set aside. Once the pistachios are cool, transfer them to a food processor, along with the marzipan, and blitz for 2 minutes. You want them to turn into fine crumbs but still have a little bit of texture. Add the honey mixture, spices and ½ teaspoon of salt, and pulse a couple of times to combine, to form a sticky paste. To complete the dough, put the rose water and orange blossom water into a small bowl, along with 2 tablespoons of water and the melted ghee. Mix to combine, then, while kneading with one hand, gradually pour the mixture over the dough. Continue to knead for about 5 minutes (either by hand or in a food mixer with the paddle attachment in place), until the dough is soft and comes together well and is pale in colour. Add a few more drops of water, if you need to, if the dough is too dry. When ready to assemble, divide the dough into 2 equal pieces and, working with wet fingers, press half the dough gently into the base and sides of the baking tray. Place the date paste (or pistachio filling) in between two sheets of baking parchment (about 30 x 40cm), and gently roll with a rolling pin to form a rectangle, about 20 x 30cm: don't worry about getting the dimensions exact here, they can be adjusted in the baking tray. Remove and discard the top layer of parchment from one of the paste sheets and then, sliding your hand under the paste to help you, flip it upside down into the baking tray. With the paper still attached (and now facing upwards), start pressing it gently on to and up the sides of the tray. Carefully pull away the paper and then flatten the paste to fill any gaps. Repeat the process with the second half of the dough, spreading the remaining dough evenly over the filling, taking it right up to the edges. Pinch some of the excess pastry to fill any gaps and, using your fingers, seal the edges very well. Using a small, sharp knife, cut the dough (keeping it in its tray) into 4 rows and 6 columns, to make 24 squares. Take the knife right down to the bottom of the tray. The lines will close up as the dough bakes, but will help when it comes to finally cutting them. Next, use the back of a fork to press down gently into the middle of each square, to make line patterns with the tines of the fork. Bake for 30-35 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through cooking, until the dough is golden brown, and the edges are looking crispy. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before cutting. Arrange the ma'amoul squares on a serving platter, dust generously with icing sugar and serve.

MA'AMOUL MED BIL ASHTA (COOKIE BARS WITH CLOTTED CREAM FILLING AND ORANGE BLOSSOM SYRUP)

Steps:

• To make the clotted cream, line a colander or sieve with cheesecloth and set over a bowl. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat the milk until just before a boil. Stir the bottom of the pot occasionally to make sure the milk isn't scalding. Just before the milk boils, stir in 1 tablespoon of the sugar, the rose and orange blossom waters, lemon juice, and vinegar. The milk should immediately begin forming clots. Turn down the heat to the lowest setting.
• Using a slotted spoon, collect the clots of milk from the surface and place them into the prepared colander. Continue collecting the clots, until the milk that remains looks thin and pale and takes on a yellowish hue. If needed, add a few more teaspoons of lemon juice to induce further clotting.
• Pour out and discard the whey (you could save this for another purpose, such as using it in a smoothie, but that's up to you). Remove the pot from the heat and add the cream, cornstarch and the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar, then return the pot to the stove and bring to a boil on medium heat, whisking until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat. Allow to cool slightly, then add to the strained clotted cream and whisk well, until it forms a thickened spread. If it's still clumpy, pass the clotted cream through a fine-mesh sieve. Put into a bowl and cover directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Chill for at least 1 hour before using.
• If not using right away, the clotted cream can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
• Combine the sugar, water, and lemon juice in a medium pot and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Decrease the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the syrup thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 7 minutes. Add the orange blossom and rose waters and cook for 3 minutes more. Set aside to cool.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flours, salt, sugar, mahlab, and yeast. Add the butter to the dry ingredients and mix by hand or in a mixer until it forms a paste. Cover with plastic wrap or a dish towel and set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
• After 30 minutes, the dough will have hardened, so use a wooden spoon or other utensil such as a dough cutter to break up the dough a bit. Pour the milk and orange blossom water into the flour mixture and mix until smooth. Let stand at room temperature for another 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 300°F. Cut four sheets of parchment paper to fit an 8 by 11-inch sheet tray. Form the dough into a ball and divide it into 2 equal parts.
• Press half the dough onto one of the sheets of parchment. Layer a second piece of parchment on top and, using a rolling pin, roll an even ¼-inch crust to the paper's edges. Remove the top layer of parchment and flip the dough into the sheet tray. Re-use the sheets of parchment and roll out the second ball of dough. Set aside.
• Spread the clotted cream on the bottom layer of dough. Top with a second layer of rolled dough. Press gently and transfer the sheet tray to the oven and bake, rotating the tray once, until the bars are light golden brown on the edges, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven and immediately drizzle ½ cup syrup over the top and sprinkle with the pistachios. Allow to set for 15 minutes at room temperature. When it's cool enough to touch, cut the bars into 2-inch squares and serve. The bars can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

MA'AMOUL MED (ORANGE AND ESPRESSO DATE COOKIE BARS)

Steps:

• To make the dough: In a medium bowl, combine the flours, salt, sugar, mahlab, and yeast. Add the butter to the dry ingredients and mix by hand or in a mixer until it forms a paste. Cover with plastic wrap or a dish towel and set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
• To make the filling: While the flour mixture rests, immerse the dates in hot tap water and allow them to soak for about 10 minutes or until softened. Once they are soft, drain thoroughly and pulse them in the bowl of a food processor along with the butter, espresso powder, cinnamon, orange zest, and cardamom to form a sticky paste. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, about 15 minutes.
• After 30 minutes, the dough will have hardened, so use a wooden spoon or other utensil such as a dough cutter to break up the dough a bit. Pour the milk and orange blossom water into the flour mixture and mix until smooth. Let stand at room temperature for another 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 300°F. Cut four sheets of parchment paper to fit an 8-by-11-inch sheet tray. Form the dough into a ball and divide it into 2 equal parts.
• Press half the dough onto one of the sheets of parchment. Layer a second piece of parchment on top and, using a rolling pin, roll an even ¼-inch crust to the paper's edges. Remove the top layer of parchment and flip the dough into the sheet tray. Re-use the sheets of parchment and roll out the second ball of dough. Set aside.
• Sandwich the date filling between two new sheets of parchment and roll into an even ¼-inch layer, out to the paper's edges. Remove the top sheet and flip the date layer onto the dough. Remove the remaining parchment. Flip the remaining dough over the date filling and remove the final sheet of parchment.
• Transfer the sheet tray to the oven and bake, rotating the tray once, until the bars are light golden brown on the edges, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven and, when it is cool enough to touch, cut the bars into 2-by-2-inch squares. Transfer the tray to a wire rack to finish cooling. When the ma'amoul is completely cool, dust with the confectioners' sugar before serving. The bars can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.