Luxury Eid Maamoul

Ingredients

• 500 g flour or fine semolina
• 500 g coarse semolina
• 450 g unsalted butter or ghee
• Half a cup rose water
• Half a cup orange blossom water
• 50 g granulated sugar
• 1 very small teaspoon yeast
• 1 teaspoon finely ground mahlab
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• About 2 tablespoons powdered sugar for serving
• Filling:
• 200 g walnuts
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon orange blossom water
• or
• 200 g pistachios
• 200 g ground or mashed dates
• 1 teaspoon butter or ghee
• 1 teaspoon orange blossom water

Method

1. First, add the melted ghee over the semolina and rub it in well, without kneading, until the semolina absorbs all the ghee.
2. Leave the semolina soaked in the ghee for about 12 hours at least, ideally overnight, and cover the top with plastic wrap.
   Timers: 720 min
3. Prepare the fillings as desired: mix the chopped walnuts or pistachios with the sugar and orange blossom water. For the dates, remove the pits and mash or grind them, then add 1 teaspoon of melted butter or ghee and the orange blossom water, knead well, and shape into small balls.
4. Set the fillings aside and begin making the dough. The next day, the dough will seem dry, so rub it again, then add the mahlab, nutmeg, and the yeast dissolved in 1 teaspoon of water, then rub. Add the orange blossom water and rose water gradually, bringing the dough together until it holds. You can add more rose water and orange blossom water if needed, depending on the semolina.
5. Let the dough rest for half an hour before shaping the maamoul.
6. Use special maamoul molds, and you can use tongs for decorative patterns if desired.
7. After filling the maamoul and arranging the rounds on trays, preheat the oven to 180°C and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, checking according to your oven’s strength. Then brown the top for just 1 minute from above. The maamoul should not get too dark on top.
   Timers: 15 min, 1 min
8. Let the maamoul cool slightly and serve at room temperature.
9. Dust the maamoul with powdered sugar before serving.
10. For more from Therese, here is brioche with raisins and coconut