Ka’ak bil Ma’amoul (Date-Stuffed Ring Cookies)

Name: Ka'ak bil Ma'amoul (Date-Stuffed Ring Cookies)
Total time: PT0D0H0M
Yield: makes About 27 Cookies
Ingredients: 1 1 ⁄ 4 cups flour; 1 1 ⁄ 4 cups whole wheat flour; 1 cup olive oil, plus more for greasing; 3 ⁄ 4 cup fine semolina; 1 ⁄ 2 cup water, heated to 115°; 1 1 ⁄ 2 tbsp. orange blossom water; 1 tbsp. ground anise; 2 tsp. plus 1 tbsp. sugar; 1 1 ⁄ 2 tsp. active dry yeast; 1 1 ⁄ 2 tsp. nigella seeds; 1 tsp. kosher salt; 1 ⁄ 2 tsp. ground mahlab; 1 ⁄ 2 tsp. toasted sesame seeds; 8 oz. pitted medjool dates; 1 1 ⁄ 2 tsp. unsalted butter; 1 ⁄ 2 tsp. ground cinnamon; 1 ⁄ 4 tsp. ground cardamom; 1 ⁄ 8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg; 1 ⁄ 8 tsp. ground cloves

Serves
makes About 27 Cookies

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ARIANA LINDQUIST

These holiday cookies are flavored with orange blossom water and stuffed with a sweet date filling. This recipe first appeared in our December 2013 issue along with Nancy Harmon Jenkins' article Heart of Palestine.

Ingredients

1 ¹⁄₄ cups flour
1 ¹⁄₄ cups whole wheat flour
1 cup olive oil, plus more for greasing
³⁄₄ cup fine semolina
¹⁄₂ cup water, heated to 115°
1 ¹⁄₂ tbsp. orange blossom water
1 tbsp. ground anise
2 tsp. plus 1 tbsp. sugar
1 ¹⁄₂ tsp. active dry yeast
1 ¹⁄₂ tsp. nigella seeds
1 tsp. kosher salt
¹⁄₂ tsp. ground mahlab
¹⁄₂ tsp. toasted sesame seeds
8 oz. pitted medjool dates
1 ¹⁄₂ tsp. unsalted butter
¹⁄₂ tsp. ground cinnamon
¹⁄₄ tsp. ground cardamom
¹⁄₈ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
¹⁄₈ tsp. ground cloves

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Instructions

Step 1

Mix flours, oil, semolina, waters, anise, 2 tsp. sugar, yeast, nigella, salt, mahlab, and sesame seeds in a stand mixer fitted with a hook until dough forms. Increase speed to medium-high; knead until dough is smooth, 2–3 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap; set aside in a warm place until doubled in size, 2 hours.

Step 2

Place dates in a bowl and cover with boiling water; let sit until soft, 5–10 minutes. Drain, discarding water, and transfer to a food processor. Add remaining sugar, plus butter, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, and cloves; purée into a paste.

Step 3

Heat oven to 400°. Divide dough into twenty-seven 1-oz. balls. Divide paste into equal number of balls. Working with 1 ball dough at a time, roll into a 5" × 1½" rectangle, about ⅛" thick. Using wet hands, roll 1 ball paste into a 4½" log; place in center of dough lengthwise. Fold dough up and over the paste; brush edges with water and seal closed. Using hands, roll log until smooth; pinch ends together to form a ring. Arrange rings on greased baking sheets; bake until golden and crisp, about 20 minutes.

Mix flours, oil, semolina, waters, anise, 2 tsp. sugar, yeast, nigella, salt, mahlab, and sesame seeds in a stand mixer fitted with a hook until dough forms. Increase speed to medium-high; knead until dough is smooth, 2–3 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap; set aside in a warm place until doubled in size, 2 hours.
Place dates in a bowl and cover with boiling water; let sit until soft, 5–10 minutes. Drain, discarding water, and transfer to a food processor. Add remaining sugar, plus butter, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, and cloves; purée into a paste.
Heat oven to 400°. Divide dough into twenty-seven 1-oz. balls. Divide paste into equal number of balls. Working with 1 ball dough at a time, roll into a 5" × 1½" rectangle, about ⅛" thick. Using wet hands, roll 1 ball paste into a 4½" log; place in center of dough lengthwise. Fold dough up and over the paste; brush edges with water and seal closed. Using hands, roll log until smooth; pinch ends together to form a ring. Arrange rings on greased baking sheets; bake until golden and crisp, about 20 minutes.