How to Make Maamoul

Ingredients

• Maamoul dough
• 2 cups fine semolina (farikha flour)
• 2 cups coarse semolina
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups ghee or butter, melted and hot
• 1 teaspoon yeast
• 1 1/4 cups orange blossom water
• Fillings
• Pistachio filling:
• 200 g finely ground pistachios + 1/2 cup thick sugar syrup (qater)
• Walnut filling:
• 200 g coarsely ground walnuts + 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon + 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg + 1 tablespoon sugar + 1 tablespoon orange blossom water
• Date filling :
• 400 g mashed or paste dates + 1 teaspoon cinnamon + 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg + 2 tablespoons oil

Method

1. Mix the fine and coarse semolina and the flour with the sugar. Add the melted ghee or butter, mix, and leave them to rest for a full day (24 hours).
   Timers: 1440 min
2. After that time, rub the mixture between your palms to make sure the semolina and flour have absorbed all the fat.
3. Add the yeast and mix, then add the orange blossom water in four stages: sprinkle a quarter of the amount and knead for two minutes, then add the next quarter and knead for two minutes, and so on until all the orange blossom water is used.
4. Let the dough rest for half an hour.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the fillings.
6. After resting, shape the dough into balls, fill each one as desired, and shape them using special maamoul molds.
7. Place the maamoul discs on baking trays and bake in a preheated oven, top and bottom heat, at 230°C for 12 to 15 minutes, watching carefully so they don't brown too much.
   Timers: 15 min
8. You can dust the walnut and pistachio maamoul with powdered sugar once they are cool.
9. Serve the maamoul cold at room temperature.
10. Successful maamoul recipe and method from a friend and the site's chef
11. Amir Youssef
12. Click Amir's name to visit his page and see all his easy recipes
13. For more Arabic sweets see Mafrouka dough
14. For more of Amir's delicious desserts see Athmaliya dessert