Thursday Ka'ak, or Abbas Ka'ak

Ingredients

• 5 cups flour
• 2 cups coarse semolina
• 2 tablespoons ka'ak spice blend
• 3 cups sugar
• About 2 cups cow's milk, or as needed
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup ghee, special for sweets
• 2 tablespoons instant yeast
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon mahlab
• 1 tablespoon nigella seeds
• 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon ground fennel and anise - optional
• 1 tablespoon anise seeds
• Note: If you like soft ka'ak, add 1 tablespoon of ammonia yeast, available at spice shops.

Method

1. Mix all the dry ingredients, including the yeast, in a large bowl...
2. Add the oil and ghee, then rub or work the ingredients together until the dry ingredients absorb all the fats.
3. Add the liquid milk gradually and knead well. The milk should be lukewarm.
4. Cover the dough with a clean towel and let it rise for several hours, preferably overnight.
5. The next day, use the special disc molds to shape the Thursday ka'ak, making sure it is neither too thick nor too thin.
6. Arrange the ka'ak on baking trays.
7. Preheat the oven from both the top and bottom at the same time, and bake the Thursday ka'ak, or Abbas ka'ak, at 160°C until the pieces turn golden.
8. Let the ka'ak cool to room temperature before serving.
9. This wonderful recipe for making the best ka'ak is from our Shou Tabkhin Today friend
10. Ruwaida Al-Haj Al-Rifai
11. For more delicious ka'ak recipes, here is Milk Ka'ak Without Eggs
12. To make ma'amoul the Ruwaida way, click on Ma'amoul