Easy Date Fingers

Ingredients

• 1½ cups cake flour (or pastry flour)
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup butter + ghee
• or
• butter only (½ cup)
• ½ cup liquid milk
• 1 tsp mahleb (mahleb spice)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp sugar
• Filling:
• Dates (pitted)
• A little butter (soft)
• A splash of rosewater
• Syrup (qatir) or shira, and sesame and nigella seeds for dipping the date fingers

Method

1. Mix the butter with the flour until well rubbed in.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and knead into a dough.
3. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
   Timers: 30 min
4. After 30 minutes, if the dough feels stiff add a little milk and knead until soft, then begin shaping.
   Timers: 30 min
5. Prepare the filling beforehand: mix pitted dates with room-temperature butter and a splash of rosewater. Knead well until smooth.
6. Roll the dough into a long, narrow sheet. Spread the filling lengthwise, then roll it up into a log.
7. Cut the log into equal pieces to form the date fingers.
8. Prepare a plate with syrup (qatir) and a mix of nigella seeds and sesame. Dip each date finger into the syrup then into the seeds to coat.
9. Place the date fingers on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake in an oven preheated to 180°C (350°F).
10. Allow to cool before serving.