Maamoul is perhaps the most famous of Middle Eastern biscuits, especially popular for religious celebrations such as Eid and Christmas. You can be as creative as you like with the filling, as long as you create a tight seal to enclose it. You can buy a maamoul mould online or at a Middle Eastern grocery. Otherwise, the prongs of a small fork can help create patterns on top. The grooves will help the icing sugar stick to the biscuit.
- Combine the semolina, flour, sugar and baking powder in a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the butter, milk and orange blossom water and, using your hands, combine the mixture until it forms a soft, malleable dough. If the mixture is too dry, add a little more milk, and if it is too wet, add a little more plain flour. Cover with plastic film and leave to rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
- To make the pistachio filling, place all the ingredients in a food processor and process until fine and crumbly. Do not let it reach a paste-like consistency. Transfer to a bowl and clean the food processor.
- To make the date filling, place all the ingredients in a food processor and process until they form a smooth paste.
- Preheat the oven to 160°C and line two baking trays with baking paper.
- Shape a tablespoon of dough into a ball, then gently flatten it in the palm of your hand to make a 6 cm circle. Place 1 teaspoon of either the pistachio or date filling in the centre of the dough, then pinch the edges together so that the filling is completely enclosed and roll into a ball.
- Lightly oil a maamoul mould with vegetable oil. Press the dough ball firmly into the mould, then tap the mould to remove the patterned biscuit. (If you don’t have a maamoul mould, use fork prongs to make patterns.) Repeat to make about 40 biscuits.
- Place the biscuits on the prepared trays with a 2 cm gap between each. Bake in the oven for 25–30 minutes or until light golden. Transfer the biscuits to wire racks to cool.
- Place the icing sugar in a bowl. Roll as many cooled biscuits as you’d like to serve in the icing sugar, tapping to remove any excess. Any leftover biscuits can be kept in an airtight container for up to one month – roll in icing sugar just before serving.
2 cups (320 g) coarse semolina
1 cup (150 g) plain flour
1 tablespoon caster sugar
1½ teaspoons baking powder
250 g unsalted butter, softened
¼ cup (60 ml) milk
1 tablespoon orange blossom water
vegetable oil, for oiling
1 cup (160 g) pure icing sugar
PISTACHIO FILLING
1 cup (140 g) raw shelled pistachios
1 tablespoon orange blossom water
1½ tablespoons caster sugar
DATE FILLING
1 cup (170g) pitted medjool dates, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon orange juice, strained
1 tablespoon orange blossom water
