Makrout (Semolina and Date Cookie) / مقروط بالسميدة و التمر - CookingWithAlia - Episode 406

Today: a fool-proof recipe of Makrout, the famous date semolina cookie!
WRITTEN RECIPE:
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups (250g) fine or medium semolina
1/3 cup (70g) softened butter
2 tablespoon orange flower water (use as needed)
A pinch of saffron threads
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9 oz. (250 g) date paste (...)
A pinch of ground Cubeb (optional)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (if not already in your date paste)
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Honey
RECIPE:
Step 1: Making the dough
- First, dilute the saffron threads in the orange blossom water so they release their entire flavor
- Place the semolina in a large plate and using the tips of your fingers, mix it with the softened butter until each grain of semolina is well coated
- Add a little bit of the saffron-orange blossom water to the semolina and mix well until you get a soft dough
- Cover and let the dough rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour
Step 2: Making the date filling
- Our secret ingredient is the Cubeb spice – here is cubeb whole to see how it looks like, but we are using it ground. If you don’t have it, don’t worry, just omit it
- Add a pinch of the ground Cubeb to the date paste and mix.
- You can also add some ground cinnamon; I already added it when preparing my homemade date paste.
- The filling is ready! Divide the date paste into 2 portions.
Oil your hands and roll each portion into a log about the thickness of your finger
Step 3: Shaping the Makrout
- Take half of the dough, and shape it into a log as long as the date paste log.
- Flatten the dough and insert the date paste log in the center
- Pinch the dough around the date paste, then roll the entire log a few times on your workstation to seal it completely
- Slice the log with diagonal cuts into bite size chunks
- Use the tip of the knife to mark the top of each makrout
Step 4: Baking the makrout
- Transfer the makrout on an oiled baking pan
- Bake in a preheated oven to 360 F / 180 C for 30-40 minutes or until the makrout have a beautiful deep golden brown colors
- As soon as your remove the makrout from the oven, drizzle some honey on top when they are still hot
- Let the makrout cool down for several hours before serving them