Mamool

Mamool also pronounced maamoul or mamoul are Middle Eastern cookies famous in Lebanon Syria, Jordan and Palestine served typically for special holidays such as Pascha. The cookies have three traditional fillings including walnut, pistachio and date. Each is formed in a specific designed wooden mold. The design on the cookie lets you know what the filling is inside.

To make the cookie the mold is floured, then round, filled, balls of dough are packed into the mold. The mold is rapped on the work surface to remove the cookie. Cookies are then baked, cooled and coated in powdered (confectioner's) sugar.

Ingredients of Mamool Recipe:

Pastry:

• 6 cups of Semolina
• 1 cup of flour
• 3 cups of cooking fat or butter
• 1 cup of orange-flower water and rose water
  

• 2 cups of minced walnuts
• 2 cups of minced pistachio
• 2 cups of dates (without seeds)
• 3 cups of soft sugar
• 3 table spoons of rose water
• 1 1/2 table spoons of orange-flower water
• 3 cups of powder sugar
  

1. Mix the semolina with the flower and put them in a deep bowl.
2. Add the melted butter or cooking fat and mix until well sticking together.
3. Add the orange-flower water and rose water to the mixture, and keep on mixing until you get a sticking together and fairly soft dough.
4. Put the dough on the preparation table for about an hour to rest.
5. Prepare the fillings by putting 1 cup of sugar with each portion of the three kinds of fillings (walnuts,pistachio,dates), and equally divide the orange-flower water and rose water in between the three portions.
6. To make the Maumoul we use a wooden mold, usually there is different kinds of molds for each filling.
7. The dates mold usually comes flat and round, the walnuts mold usually comes in a pyrami shape with round edges, the pistachio mold usually comes oval shaped with high edges.
8. There are big mold for large Mamoul and small ones for the small Mamoul.
9. Make small balls (1 teaspoon) and put it in the center of your left hand, with your right hand press slightly on the ball and add the filling in the center then fold it up again to give it a ball shape again.
10. Put the stuffed ball in the proper mold and press slightly to give it the shape, the dough should be covering all the emptly space in the wooden mold, if the dough sticks spread some flour in the mold before putting the dough.
11. Put the prepared Mamool in the cooking tray and into the oven (200f) and untill they get colored and the dough is well done.
12. Keep the Mamool out until they get cooled and spray with powder sugar (except for the dates filling).