Flaky on the outside, gooey on the inside and oh-so sweet! Maamoul biscuits are a traditional Arabic treat served during festive times. Its distinct shapes traditionally determine the biscuits fillings, which vary from pistachio, walnut and date, but in essence the delightful little cookie is made of butter and semolina that can be balled, domed or flattened, and typically decorated with a special mould or by hand with a fork.
In light of the Eid al-Adha festivities in the region, we spoke to chef Irfan Hammou from MICHELIN-selected, Siraj, in Dubai to share his recipe for the popular cookie. Give it a try below!
SIMILAR READ: A recipe to making traditional Knafeh
Recipe
Ingredients and Preparation (48 pieces)
- 2 cups of Semolina
- 1 cup of All-Purpose Flour
- 1⁄2 tsp of Ground Mahlab
- 1⁄2 tsp of Salt
- 1 cup of Clarified Butter (at room temperature)
- 5 tbsp of Milk
- 2 tbsp of White Sugar
- 1 tsp of Active Dry Yeast
- 4 tbsp of Orange Blossom Water
- 10 tbsp of Date Paste (cut into small pieces)
- 2 tbsp of Powdered Sugar
Special bakeware: Maamoul Moulds
Start by mixing the semolina flour, all-purpose flour, and salt together in a large bowl. Work the clarified butter into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until thoroughly incorporated. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest at room temperature for around eight hours to overnight.
Then, 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, which will take about five minutes.
Pour yeast mixture and orange blossom water over the dough and mix until evenly moistened. Squeeze 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 two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Sprinkle some flour over the maamoul moulds 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 mould. Trim off any excess dough. Invert the mould 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, one 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.
MORE RECIPES: Try many recipes from MICHELIN-recommended restaurants around Asia
