Batoul's mamoul

The aroma of freshly baked mamoul on the morning of Eid are some of my fondest memories growing up. Making this crumbly soft stuffed biscuit with my mother and sisters for our children, family and friends has become a tradition for Eid as it is for many people observing the month of Ramadan.

Credit: Batoul Salman

• makes

  40

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  25 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

My mother learnt this from my grandmother and has passed the secret (not so secret) recipe on to me. For this recipe you generally would need moulds and mahlepi spice which you can find at any Middle Eastern grocer. If these are not available where you are located you could switch out the mahlepi spice for cinnamon and as for the moulds you could press the mamoul gently into a sifter or press on it with the back of a fork, both which would give you a beautiful effect.

One of the main ingredients is the ghee (clarified butter) which you can substitute for unsalted butter. With ghee being one of the biggest factors to achieving a crumbly, soft and flavourful biscuit, it’s really important to make sure it's top quality. I personally like to use Allowrie animal ghee or Allowrie unsalted butter.

I hope that this recipe becomes a tradition that you one day will associate with the blessed day of Eid with your family and friends.

Ingredients

• 500 g fine semolina
• 500 g coarse semolina
• 500 g animal ghee or unsalted butter at room temperature
• 100 g sugar
• 1 tsp mahlepi spice
• ½ tsp yeast
• 150-170 ml warm water
• 150-170 ml milk
• ¼ cup orange blossom water

Pistachio filling

• 3 cups pistachio
• 1 tbsp orange blossom water
• 2 tbsp sugar
• ½ cup atar/simple syrup

Walnut filling

• 3 cups walnuts
• 1 tbsp orange blossom water
• 2 tbsp sugar
• ½ cup atar/simple syrup

Date filling

• 2 cups date paste
• 1 tbsp orange blossom water
• 1 tbsp water

Chilling time: 1-2 hours or overnight

Instructions

1. For the dough, add the fine and course semolina along with the sugar, mahlepi, yeast to a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Add the ghee and massage it into the semolina mixture with your hands until it resembles a sandy texture.
2. Add milk, warm water and orange blossom water into a jug and lightly stir to combine.
3. Pour the wet mix slowly into the semolina mixture while constantly kneading until it resembles a thick wet sandy dough texture, it should be soft because the heat of your hands will melt the ghee but don’t worry it will firm up in the fridge. Cover and place in the fridge to firm up for 1-2 hrs or alternatively overnight.
4. For the pistachio and walnut filling, one at a time add each of the ingredients for each filling to a food processor and blitz for about 10-15 secs. You don’t want it to become a paste but also don’t want it to be too chunky. Chill in fridge till you start your mamoul.
5. For the date filling, blitz all the ingredients in a food processor till it’s a soft paste then chill in the fridge until you’re ready to start making the mamoul.
6. To assemble, take your dough out of the fridge and allow to come to room temperature, it should be firm but slightly soft and will soften as you use it. If it is too firm give it a knead or place in a warm place for another 30mins.
7. There are many ways to stuff the dough with the fillings so find the simplest way that works for you and go with it. I like to place it in the mould and then add the filling in and press it down, then cover the filling with more of that dough.
8. Give the mamoul 3 to 4 bangs on your lined tray to remove it from the mould. You can use cling wrap between the dough and mould if it you find it hard to remove the mamoul.
9. Bake in a 200°C preheated oven for 20 to 25mins or until lightly golden. If your oven does not have good heat circulation, just give it a turn at the halfway mark.
10. Remove from oven and place the walnut and pistachio mamoul on a separate tray and immediately sift icing sugar on top. Allow to cool, then sift another layer of icing sugar on top. The date mamoul doesn’t get any icing sugar.
11. Finally make yourself a cup of coffee and grab yourself a mamoul and enjoy.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

My mother learnt this from my grandmother and has passed the secret (not so secret) recipe on to me. For this recipe you generally would need moulds and mahlepi spice which you can find at any Middle Eastern grocer. If these are not available where you are located you could switch out the mahlepi spice for cinnamon and as for the moulds you could press the mamoul gently into a sifter or press on it with the back of a fork, both which would give you a beautiful effect.

One of the main ingredients is the ghee (clarified butter) which you can substitute for unsalted butter. With ghee being one of the biggest factors to achieving a crumbly, soft and flavourful biscuit, it’s really important to make sure it's top quality. I personally like to use Allowrie animal ghee or Allowrie unsalted butter.

I hope that this recipe becomes a tradition that you one day will associate with the blessed day of Eid with your family and friends.