Ma'amoul (Lebanese Date Stuffed Pastries)

"A popular Middle Eastern pastry, especially as popular at Easter. From 'The Best of Lebanese and Middle Eastern Cooking', posted here for the 2005 Zaar World Tour. Serve with coffee, after a Middle Eastern banquet. Orange-blossom water and rose water can be purchased from Greek and Middle Eastern grocers. The preparation and cooking times do not include the 30 minutes for the dough to rest."
 
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Ready In:
40mins
Ingredients:
7
Yields:
60 Ma'amoul
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ingredients

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directions

  • Combine the dates and 1/4 cup water in a jsmall pan over a gentle heat and cook until softened, then set aside to cool.
  • Sift the flour into a bowl, and add the diced, chilled butter and rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
  • Combine the orange-blossom water or rose water with the 2 tablespoons of water and sprinkle over the flour; then mix into the flour using a round-bladed knife. Cover the dough and rest for approximately 30 minutes.
  • Take a spoonful of dough and shape into a round, make a hollow with your finger and spoon a little of the date stuffing into the hollow, then seal the opening and reshape into a round.
  • Continue until the dough runs out.
  • Place the pastries on a lightly greased baking sheet, cover loosely with foil and bake in a pre-heated moderate oven (180°C; 350°F) for 20-25 minutes. Remove the foil about halfway through the cooking, but keep an eye on them to ensure that they do not brown.
  • Remove and cool on wire racks until firm.
  • When thoroughly cooled, roll in sifted icing sugar.

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Reviews

  1. Thank you Chef #647749. Yes the recipe is missing Mahlab (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahlab) and definitely should not use white flour. Semolina #1 + #2 or #1 by itself and should be mixed with warm butter (or even better, warm clarified butter) and left at room temperature overnight. The next day orange blossom and rose water is added as needed to shape the dough. I will be posting my recipe here just in time for Easter. I will be nice and give this a "0". :-)
     
  2. Please know that there are different versions of mamoul. One version uses just flour and has a shortbread texture and the other version uses flour and semolina(smeed) and has a more grittier texture. Some people put a small portion of anise and others dont. Just wanted to respond to the previous reviewers review. To let people know that there are DIFFERENT VERSIONS.
     
  3. this recipe is so far off from the real maamool recipe. First of all, you NEVER use white flour...it is supposed to be #1 & #2 semolina combination, you are missing a lebanese spice and you need both the rose & orange blossom water. There is too much butter for this recipe as well. My score is zero...don't rely on this recipe if you are looking for authenticity and workability.
     
  4. this is a great cookie recipe. i prepared it exactly as stated and it turned out perfectly. i was a little concerned about "sealing the opening" of the cookie once putting the date filling in but the batter was very malable. tasted a little like shortbread with date stuffing. very yummy! thanks bluemoon downunder.
     
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

July 2008 update: VERY happy to be back on Zaar after about a two year absence due to having had no internet connection at home, and having been too unwell for a time so that getting re-connected wasn't even a priority! <br> <br>And really looking forward to getting back into the Zaar world and connecting again with the many wonderful people I knew before, and new people, of course!
 
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