for Ramadan. These cookies, a close cousin to the Jewish Hamantaschen, are the most famous in the Middle East. Usually made fresh only during important religious holidays like Ramadan, Eid, and Christmas, boxed varieties are sold throughout the year at Middle Eastern markets. I strongly urge you to try the recipe below, which are fun and easy to make. Buy a few different ma'moul molds from your local Middle Eastern market (even if you don't have a mold you can still make them by forming them into balls and flattening them before baking) and make them with your friends and family. I guarantee that even date-haters will love them. If you want to try Ma'moul, but don't want to bake, I suggest ordering them from the Mediterranean Bakery in Alexandria Virginia where the Ma'moul are as close to homemade as possible. By the way- they sell Hamantaschen, too!
Recipe:
Date Dome Cookies (Ma’moul)
These scrumptious cookies are to Saudi Arabians what chocolate chip cookies are to Americans. They can be purchased everywhere, from bakeries to grocery stores, which sell boxed varieties. Their fillings range from date and apple to pistachio and walnut. By far, the date cookies are the most coveted. Originally, ma’moul were called aroosa, which means
bride, because they were dusted with white powdered sugar.
Needless to say, they play an important role in bridal ceremonies. Ma’moul are made with special wooden (and nowadays plastic) molds called qaleb. The molds are engraved with various designs to decorate the cookies in intricate patterns. For best results, use double air-cell or stone cookie sheets to prevent the cookies from burning on the bottom.
Ingredients:
For the date filling:
1/2 pound dried dates, pitted
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon orange blossom water
For the cookie dough:
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons fresh orange or lemon juice
1 teaspoon orange blossom water
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon mahlab*
3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 cup fine-grade semolina
1/2 teaspoon salt
Confectioners’ sugar, for sprinkling
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Position racks in the middle of the
oven. Line two double air-cell or stone cookie sheets
with silicone liners or parchment paper.
To prepare date filling, combine the filling ingredients in a
food processor. Pulse until filling reaches a paste-like
consistency. Set aside.
Combine butter and sugar in a large bowl. Cream until light
yellow in color, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add orange or
lemon juice and orange blossom water and mix well.
Add egg and mahlab and stir to incorporate. Mix flour,
semolina, and salt in a separate large bowl. Slowly add
flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix the dough until
it becomes smooth and shape it into a ball.
To assemble the ma’moul, determine which size mold you
are using. For a large mold, shape dough into 2-inch
balls. For a small mold, shape dough into 1 1/2-inch
balls. Flatten balls and place 1 teaspoon date mixture
into the center of each circle. Stretch the dough to cover
filling and roll back into a ball. Place balls, one at a
time, in the mold. Push dough into the mold until it is
level with the mold and fills the entire space. To unmold
the cookie, hold the stick of the mold and tap its neck,
with the cookie facing away from you, onto a hard surface.
Place cookies design side up onto the cookie sheet. Cookies
may be placed 1/2 inch apart from one another because
they do not spread.
* Ground Cherry Kernals - Can be purchased from Middle Eastern markets.
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