Ma'amoul
מַעְמוּל
Ma'amoul are delicate semolina cookies stuffed with dates, walnuts, or pistachios, scented with rosewater and orange blossom. The Halabi Jewish community of Aleppo makes these iconic sweets by the hundreds for Purim and other holidays. In the tradition of the Syrian Jewish community, women would gather days before Purim to shape ma'amoul together, a practice carried on to this day in communities from Brooklyn to Buenos Aires.
Ingredients
- •2 cups fine semolina
- •1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- •200g unsalted butter or margarine
- •1/4 cup powdered sugar
- •2 tbsp rosewater
- •2 tbsp orange blossom water
- •1 tsp active dry yeast
- •250g Medjool dates, pitted
- •1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
- •1 tsp cinnamon
- •Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- 1
Mix semolina, flour, butter, and powdered sugar. Rub together until crumbly.
- 2
Add rosewater, orange blossom water, and yeast dissolved in 2 tbsp warm water. Mix into dough.
- 3
Rest dough covered for 1 hour.
- 4
Blend dates with walnuts and cinnamon into a smooth filling.
- 5
Shape dough into balls (walnut-sized). Press a hollow in each.
- 6
Fill with date-walnut mixture and seal closed.
- 7
Press into a ma'amoul mold or fork to create pattern.
- 8
Bake at 175°C for 15-18 minutes until pale golden.
- 9
Dust generously with powdered sugar while warm.
Kosher notes
Pareve when made with margarine or oil instead of butter. Use certified kosher rosewater and orange blossom water.
Comments (0)
No comments yet — be the first to share.