Ma'arouk with Dates or Brioche

Ingredients

• 1 kilo white flour (all-purpose flour)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/4 cups yogurt (you may need more depending on the flour)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon yeast
• 2 tablespoons powdered milk
• 1/2 teaspoon mahleb
• vanilla
• 1/4 cup warm water to test the yeast
• 2 tablespoons qattar (syrup)
• 1 tablespoon ghee or more to brush the surface before proofing; you can use butter
• Filling:
• 1/4 kilo dates, mashed with 1 teaspoon ghee or butter and mahleb
• or
• chocolate
• sesame for garnish

Method

1. Put the yeast with the warm water and a spoon of sugar and wait until bubbles form...
2. Place the flour in the mixer with all the dry ingredients, then add the butter and mix for two minutes until the flour is coated with the butter...
3. Add the egg and vinegar to the yogurt and beat well, then add the yogurt mixture to the flour and knead for about 7 minutes at medium speed...
   Timers: 7 min
4. Add half the amount of oil and continue kneading to obtain a soft dough..
5. Let the dough rest for about an hour, then shape it. Roll the dough into a rectangle and place the filling you want (dates or chocolate), roll it into a cylinder like a sandwich, seal the ends and join the ends together into a circle. Cut with scissors until the edge of the dates filling appears...
6. Place the filled rings on parchment paper and put the tray in a warm place for another half hour.
7. After the required time, bake the ma'arouk or brioche in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 20 minutes, or until the pieces are browned.
   Timers: 20 min
8. You can brush the ma'arouk before placing it in the oven with ghee or butter, and there are methods that brush the brioche with a little syrup and sprinkle the ma'arouk with grated coconut or sesame as desired...