Desserts
ChefAmir Youssef
Abbas Cookies
Abbas cookies made with a homemade recipe that is hard to beat. Some also call them Thursday cookies or Murraqad. These cookies are served on important occasions, especially holidays.
Ingredients
Start here, then move straight into the method.
- 4 cups sifted flour
- 3 cups farikha flour, that is, fine semolina
- 2 tablespoons ka'ak spice mix (a distinctive spice blend that is available ready-made)
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, raw or toasted
- 2 tablespoons whole anise seeds
- 1 tablespoon finely ground anise
- 1 teaspoon mahlab
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Fat mixture
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3/4 cup ghee, at room temperature
- Kneading mixture
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 1/2 tablespoons yellow turmeric
- 1 1/2 tablespoons instant yeast
Method
Follow the cooking sequence without leaving the page.
- In a deep bowl, mix all the dry ingredients except the oil and ghee, then add the oil and the melted ghee, but at room temperature.
- Rub with the palms of your hands until the dry ingredients absorb all the ghee and oil.
- In a saucepan over the heat, prepare the mixture we will knead with: mix the sugar with the milk until it is just lukewarm, then turn off the heat.
- Add the turmeric and yeast over the milk and sugar mixture and stir.
- Add the kneading mixture to the dry ingredients with the oil and ghee in the deep bowl, and knead gently until you get a cohesive dough without overkneading.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest for 1 1/2 hours. If the weather is hot, it is best to put it in the fridge; in that case, remove it from the fridge 10 minutes before using and shaping.Timers: 120 min, 10 min
- After the resting time, shape the dough into balls, then press each ball in the mold used to form Abbas cookies, after brushing it with oil so the dough does not stick.
- Arrange the shaped pieces on a baking tray greased with oil.
- Bake in a preheated oven on the middle rack at 170 C for 15 minutes, or until they take on a light golden color from the bottom and are baked through according to your oven's strength.Timers: 15 min
- Check out salted ka'ak recipe
- Click the link to make zlabia
- For more from Amir, check out the recipe for savory cake with cheese and thyme
Recipe tags
DessertsLevantVegetarianNut freeEgg free
Notes and serving ideas
- salted ka'ak recipe
- zlabia
- savory cake with cheese and thyme
