Ma'amoul bil Tamer (Lebanese Date Shortbread)

By garciamoss

Ingredients

• For the Crust:
• 3 cups fine semolina
• 1 ⁄2 cup flour
• 12 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 3 tbsp. sugar
• 1 ⁄2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 ⁄3 cup whole milk
• 2 1⁄2 tbsp. rose water
• 2 tsp. orange blossom water
• For the Filling:
• 5 cups pitted dates
• 10 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
• 2 tbsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 1⁄2 tbsp. grated nutmeg

Details

Servings 25
Adapted from saveur.com

Preparation

Step 1

Make the crust: Pulse semolina, flour, butter, sugar, and salt in a food processor into pea-size crumbles. Add milk and rose and orange blossom waters; pulse until dough forms. Flatten dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap; chill 2 hours.

Make the filling: Purée dates, butter, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a food processor until smooth. Divide into 25 balls; chill 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 400°. Divide dough into 25 balls. Working with 1 ball at a time, press finger into dough, creating a pocket. Place 1 ball of filling into pocket; pinch sides to encase filling and roll into a ball. Press balls into ma'amoul mold, or flatten slightly using your palm; transfer to a baking sheet. Bake until golden, 20–25 minutes; let cool before serving.