Abbas Cookies

Ingredients

• 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

1. 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.
2. Rub with the palms of your hands until the dry ingredients absorb all the ghee and oil.
3. 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.
4. Add the turmeric and yeast over the milk and sugar mixture and stir.
5. 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.
6. 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
7. 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.
8. Arrange the shaped pieces on a baking tray greased with oil.
9. 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
10. This delicious Abbas cookies recipe is from a friend and chef at the Shou Tabkhin Al Yawm site
11. Amir Youssef
12. Click on Amir's name to visit his page on our site and discover his delicious recipes
13. Check out salted ka'ak recipe
14. Click the link to make zlabia
15. For more from Amir, check out the recipe for savory cake with cheese and thyme