Date Maamoul

A shortbread crust that crumbles delicately to reveal a dense, melting date center. The aroma of rose water and butter wafts out as soon as they leave the oven.

• Prep time: 45 min
• Cook time: 20 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 513
• Protein: 7 g
• Carbs: 69 g
• Fat: 22 g

Ingredients

• 166.7 g Durum wheat semolina ( fine )
• 66.7 g Wheat flour ( sifted )
• 100 g Minimum butter sweet ( melted and cooled )
• 20 g White sugar
• 133.3 g Date ( pitted )
• 1.3 tbsp rose water
• 0.7 tsp Cinnamon powder
• 0.7 pinch Nutmeg
• 1.3 tbsp Orange blossom water
• 0.7 tsp Mahleb

Instructions

1. Crumble the dough

   In a large mixing bowl, mix the durum wheat semolina, flour, sugar, and mahleb. Pour in the melted but cooled butter. Rub the mixture between your palms until the fat is perfectly absorbed by the semolina grain.

2. Prepare the filling

   Chop the pitted dates until a smooth paste is obtained. Stir in the cinnamon, nutmeg, and a knob of butter. Form small balls the size of a hazelnut.

3. Hydrate and shape

   Add the rose water and orange blossom water to the semolina dough. Work quickly without kneading to obtain a soft ball that no longer sticks. Take a small amount of dough, flatten it, place a date ball in the center, and close it to form a neat ball.

4. Baking

   Bake at 180°C on a tray. The biscuits should remain pale on top, only the bottom should be slightly golden. They are cooked when they are firm to the touch.

Chef's tips

• Do not overwork the dough once the rose water is added, or it will become elastic and tough after baking.
• Let the semolina-butter mixture rest for at least 2 hours, or ideally overnight, so the grains soften properly.

Storage

Store for up to 2 weeks in an airtight tin at room temperature.