Successful Maamoul Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 kilo coarse semolina
• 1 kilo fine semolina or farina
• 1 kilo unsalted dessert butter
• 2 tablespoons ghee
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup rose water + orange blossom water
• 1 tablespoon mahlab
• A pinch of yeast
• Pistachio filling:
• 400 grams coarsely ground pistachios
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
• A pinch of rose water
• A pinch of orange blossom water
• Walnut filling:
• 300 grams coarsely chopped walnuts
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• A dash of syrup
• Date filling:
• 1/2 kilo pitted dates
• 1 tablespoon butter

Method

1. The night before making the maamoul, start rubbing the semolina. Mix both types of semolina with the melted butter and ghee only, without changing their color, then add the sugar. Mix everything together without kneading, just a light rubbing so the semolina absorbs all the fat.
2. Cover and let it soak overnight.
3. The next day, add the water, rose water, orange blossom water, mahlab, and yeast, then bring the dough together without kneading.
4. Cover and let it rest for 1 to 2 hours, depending on the weather.
   Timers: 120 min
5. Prepare the fillings by mixing the walnut filling ingredients together, and do the same for the pistachio filling and date filling.
6. Shape the dough into round discs, flatten each one in the palm of your hand, fill it, then shape it back into a ball and press it in the mold to take its shape.
7. Preheat the oven on top and bottom heat to 180°C after arranging the maamoul on the tray, then place it immediately in the oven on the lower rack so it is not too close to the heat. It will need about 8 minutes with constant watching because maamoul should not brown—just take on a very light color.
   Timers: 8 min
8. Remove the maamoul from the oven and sprinkle the walnut or pistachio maamoul with powdered sugar right away or once the pieces have cooled. Do not sprinkle powdered sugar on date maamoul.
9. When the maamoul reaches room temperature, wrap each piece separately or place them in an airtight container to preserve the flavor and texture.
10. Also try Lemon Orange Cookies
11. Try Layali Lubnan in a very easy way.. just click on the picture