Fried Maakoron Sweets

Ingredients

• 3 cups cake flour
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• Water as needed
• 15 g instant yeast
• 200 g softened ghee or butter at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon orange blossom (or floral) water
• 1 tablespoon crushed anise (lightly crushed)
• 1 teaspoon mahlab
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• Cold sugar syrup (qatar or shira) for dipping the fried maakoron
• For more Arab desserts see: How to make Ottoman/Basma dessert

Method

1. Mix all ingredients, add water gradually and knead until you get a dough.
2. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes to relax and rise a little.
   Timers: 10 min
3. Shape the maakoron as shown in the photo and deep-fry twice in very hot oil until golden and crisp.
4. Remove the maakoron from the oil and dip them while hot into the cold sugar syrup.
5. Drain excess syrup from the maakoron and serve.
6. Note: The cornstarch gives the maakoron the desirable crispy texture.