Tray of Maamoul Madd with Ashta

Ingredients

• 2 cups medium semolina
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup ghee
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons syrup
• 1 teaspoon yeast
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 small teaspoon mahleb (optional)
• 1 tablespoon orange blossom water
• or
• orange blossom water mixed with rose water
• Note: Use the same cup as the measure for all ingredients
• Ashta:
• 2 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 tablespoon semolina
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon rose water
• 1 box qashta cream (optional)

Method

1. First, prepare the ashta so it has time to cool before using it. Put all the ingredients in a pot together (except the box of ready-made qashta cream) and whisk them while cold, then place the pot over the heat and keep stirring until the mixture thickens.
2. Turn off the heat, then add the box of ready-made qashta cream, stir, and set the ashta filling aside to cool well.
3. To prepare the dough, mix all the dry ingredients together, then add 1 cup of ghee and rub them together so the dry ingredients absorb all the fat.
4. Add the rose water and orange blossom water and rub again.
5. Dissolve the sugar in 1/2 cup water with the syrup, then add it gradually to the dough and bring the dough together without kneading. Add the liquids in batches, bringing the dough together after each addition, until you get a soft dough.
6. Cover the dough and let it rest in the fridge for 1 hour.
   Timers: 60 min
7. After the time has passed, divide the dough into two equal parts. Place a sheet of plastic wrap on the base of the tray and roll out the first portion of dough, then lift it aside using the plastic wrap.
8. Roll out the second portion in the base of the tray and spread the cold ashta filling over it, then flip the dough you set aside on the plastic wrap over the ashta and smooth the surface.
9. Without lowering the knife to the base of the tray, use the sharp tip of the knife to cut only the top layer, or score it into pieces of the desired size.
10. Place the tray in a preheated oven at 200°C on a rack below the middle until the edges begin to brown.
11. Turn off the bottom heat and turn on the top heat for just a few minutes until the dough takes on a beautiful golden color on top. The entire baking time should not exceed 20 minutes.
    Timers: 20 min
12. Remove the tray from the oven and brush the top with cold syrup using a pastry brush.
13. Let the tray of maamoul madd with ashta cool very well before slicing and serving.
14. Maamoul madd with ashta from a friend and cook from the Shou Tabkhin El Youm website
15. Ruaida Al-Haj Rifai
16. Click on Ruaida's name to visit her profile on our site and get all her wonderful recipes.
17. For more delicious Arabic desserts on our site, here is Cheese Halawa with Daaouqiya Filling
18. Also, here is Easy Qatayef Dough
19. Try also Traditional Kunafa Shredding Dough