Desserts
ChefAlisar Rajab
Ma'karoun Sweets (Zainab's Fingers)
Clear homemade recipe for ma'karoun, also known as Zainab's Fingers. Loved by adults especially — a classic, delicious traditional sweet.
!! Ma'karoun — a new homemade recipe your tastebuds will always enjoy!!
Ingredients
Start here, then move straight into the method.
- 3 cups semolina (coarse semolina OK)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp yeast
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cups anise-flavored water
- A pinch of salt
- Soaking the ma'karoun
- Sugar syrup (qater or shira)
- For more sweets you'll love, try this recipe: Basbousa with Toffee
- From the Arab kitchen, enjoy this tasty kunafa: Knafeh with Mozzarella Cheese
Method
Follow the cooking sequence without leaving the page.
- Mix all the ingredients together, then let the dough rest for about half an hour.
- After 30 minutes, shape the dough: roll into balls, then press each piece over a sieve to form long ridged shapes.Timers: 30 min
- Fry the pastries in hot oil until deep golden and cooked through.
- Remove them from the oil and place them into cold sugar syrup.
- Drain the pieces from excess syrup, then serve.
- Note: If the ma'karoun is hot, place it into cold syrup. If you let the pastries cool after frying, soak them in hot syrup — this keeps the crisp, crunchy texture.
Recipe tags
DessertsInternationalVegetarianVeganDairy freeGluten freeNut freeEgg free
Notes and serving ideas
- Basbousa with Toffee
- Knafeh with Mozzarella Cheese
