Maamoul Med Bil Ashta Cookie Bars With Clotted Cream Filling And Orange Blossom Syrup Recipes

MA'AMOUL MED BIL ASHTA (COOKIE BARS WITH CLOTTED CREAM FILLING AND ORANGE BLOSSOM SYRUP)

Steps:

• To make the clotted cream, line a colander or sieve with cheesecloth and set over a bowl. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat the milk until just before a boil. Stir the bottom of the pot occasionally to make sure the milk isn't scalding. Just before the milk boils, stir in 1 tablespoon of the sugar, the rose and orange blossom waters, lemon juice, and vinegar. The milk should immediately begin forming clots. Turn down the heat to the lowest setting.
• Using a slotted spoon, collect the clots of milk from the surface and place them into the prepared colander. Continue collecting the clots, until the milk that remains looks thin and pale and takes on a yellowish hue. If needed, add a few more teaspoons of lemon juice to induce further clotting.
• Pour out and discard the whey (you could save this for another purpose, such as using it in a smoothie, but that's up to you). Remove the pot from the heat and add the cream, cornstarch and the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar, then return the pot to the stove and bring to a boil on medium heat, whisking until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat. Allow to cool slightly, then add to the strained clotted cream and whisk well, until it forms a thickened spread. If it's still clumpy, pass the clotted cream through a fine-mesh sieve. Put into a bowl and cover directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Chill for at least 1 hour before using.
• If not using right away, the clotted cream can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
• Combine the sugar, water, and lemon juice in a medium pot and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Decrease the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the syrup thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 7 minutes. Add the orange blossom and rose waters and cook for 3 minutes more. Set aside to cool.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flours, salt, sugar, mahlab, and yeast. Add the butter to the dry ingredients and mix by hand or in a mixer until it forms a paste. Cover with plastic wrap or a dish towel and set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
• After 30 minutes, the dough will have hardened, so use a wooden spoon or other utensil such as a dough cutter to break up the dough a bit. Pour the milk and orange blossom water into the flour mixture and mix until smooth. Let stand at room temperature for another 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 300°F. Cut four sheets of parchment paper to fit an 8 by 11-inch sheet tray. Form the dough into a ball and divide it into 2 equal parts.
• Press half the dough onto one of the sheets of parchment. Layer a second piece of parchment on top and, using a rolling pin, roll an even ¼-inch crust to the paper's edges. Remove the top layer of parchment and flip the dough into the sheet tray. Re-use the sheets of parchment and roll out the second ball of dough. Set aside.
• Spread the clotted cream on the bottom layer of dough. Top with a second layer of rolled dough. Press gently and transfer the sheet tray to the oven and bake, rotating the tray once, until the bars are light golden brown on the edges, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven and immediately drizzle ½ cup syrup over the top and sprinkle with the pistachios. Allow to set for 15 minutes at room temperature. When it's cool enough to touch, cut the bars into 2-inch squares and serve. The bars can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

MA'AMOUL (LEBANESE DATE COOKIES)

Steps:

• Mix semolina flour, all-purpose flour, mahlab, and salt together in a large bowl. Work clarified butter into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until thoroughly incorporated. Cover bowl and let dough rest at room temperature, 8 hours to overnight.
• Pour milk into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave until just warm, about 15 seconds. Stir in sugar and yeast until dissolved. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Pour yeast mixture and orange blossom water over the dough and mix until evenly moistened. Pinch off a piece of dough and roll into a ball; it should hold its shape without cracking. Add more milk or orange blossom water if needed. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
• Sprinkle some flour over the ma'amoul molds and tap out the excess. Pinch off a walnut-sized piece of dough and roll into a ball. Press your thumb into the ball to create space for the filling. Work the edges with your fingers so the sides are even and fairly thin. Drop in a piece of date paste and pinch dough over it to seal.
• Place cookie into the mold cavity seam-side up. Press down so that the top is flush with edges of the mold. Trim off any excess dough. Invert the mold and tap it against your work surface to release the cookie. Repeat with remaining dough and date paste, arranging cookies 1 inch apart on the baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven, 1 baking sheet at a time, until edges and bottoms are golden but tops are still mostly pale, about 15 minutes.
• Sift powdered sugar over the cookies while still slightly warm. Let cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

MA'AMOUL MED (ORANGE AND ESPRESSO DATE COOKIE BARS)

Steps:

• To make the dough: In a medium bowl, combine the flours, salt, sugar, mahlab, and yeast. Add the butter to the dry ingredients and mix by hand or in a mixer until it forms a paste. Cover with plastic wrap or a dish towel and set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
• To make the filling: While the flour mixture rests, immerse the dates in hot tap water and allow them to soak for about 10 minutes or until softened. Once they are soft, drain thoroughly and pulse them in the bowl of a food processor along with the butter, espresso powder, cinnamon, orange zest, and cardamom to form a sticky paste. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, about 15 minutes.
• After 30 minutes, the dough will have hardened, so use a wooden spoon or other utensil such as a dough cutter to break up the dough a bit. Pour the milk and orange blossom water into the flour mixture and mix until smooth. Let stand at room temperature for another 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 300°F. Cut four sheets of parchment paper to fit an 8-by-11-inch sheet tray. Form the dough into a ball and divide it into 2 equal parts.
• Press half the dough onto one of the sheets of parchment. Layer a second piece of parchment on top and, using a rolling pin, roll an even ¼-inch crust to the paper's edges. Remove the top layer of parchment and flip the dough into the sheet tray. Re-use the sheets of parchment and roll out the second ball of dough. Set aside.
• Sandwich the date filling between two new sheets of parchment and roll into an even ¼-inch layer, out to the paper's edges. Remove the top sheet and flip the date layer onto the dough. Remove the remaining parchment. Flip the remaining dough over the date filling and remove the final sheet of parchment.
• Transfer the sheet tray to the oven and bake, rotating the tray once, until the bars are light golden brown on the edges, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven and, when it is cool enough to touch, cut the bars into 2-by-2-inch squares. Transfer the tray to a wire rack to finish cooling. When the ma'amoul is completely cool, dust with the confectioners' sugar before serving. The bars can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.