Date Ma'amoul

I love these Ramadan date cookies, also called qrass bil-tamr. They’re similar to shortbread with a date filling and are an essential part of Ramadan feasts in Lebanon. And I love how easy they are to make. The dough can be filled with walnuts or dates; all that changes traditionally, apart from the filling, is the tabe (wooden mould) used to shape them, so that guests know which flavour they’re selecting. Date ma’amoul is traditionally round and flat, while walnut ma’amoul is round and domed. If you already have a ma’amoul mould, use it, or just shape them in the palms of your hand and decorate the top with the tines of a fork or tip of a paring knife if you like – they’ll still taste great. They keep in an airtight container in a cool place for at least a week. Use just orange blossom or just rosewater if you like.

Makes 16

Ingredients

175g pitted dried dates, chopped
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
25g butter
Icing sugar, for dusting (optional)

Ma’amoul Dough

175g fine semolina
25g plain flour
25g castor sugar
Pinch salt flakes, crushed
75g cold butter, cubed
2 teaspoons rosewater, or more if needed
2 teaspoons orange blossom water, or more if needed

Method

Make Ma’amoul Dough: Combine semolina, flour, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl and use the tips of your fingers to rub in the butter until completely incorporated. Add rose and orange blossom waters and mix to form a soft, smooth dough, adding a dash more if necessary. Roll into a ball, wrap in plastic and set aside for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Place dates, cinnamon and butter in a food processor and blitz into a smooth paste.
Divide into 16 even-sized pieces – I do this by rolling it into a log, cutting it in half, then cutting each piece in half three more times. Roll each piece into a ball.
Divide dough into 16 even-sized pieces.
Roll a piece of dough into a ball then press it with the palms of your hands to flatten it into a disc.
Place a ball of the date mixture in the centre and pinch the dough around it to enclose it.
Gently roll it into a ball.
If using a mould, gently press the ball into it, sealed side facing up, then tap on the bench to loosen it and tip it into your hand.
Place onto a baking paper-lined baking tray, seam side down.
Repeat with remaining dough and date mixture.
Place in oven for 12 minutes or so, until crisp but not coloured.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool then serve date ma’amoul sprinkled with icing sugar if you like.