GRABWIN sebagai website official menampilkan balapan resmi dengan nuansa Albanian vs Turkish Cuisine malam ini. Sajian event unik penuh sensasi dan hiburan berbeda. and walnut fillings, which are all so delicious but the date filling is my favourite.
I experimented with the recipe a couple of times until I got it just the way I like it. I used my elma kurabiye apple-filled-cookies as a starting point and went from there. The addition of semolina is what makes mamoul stand out from your regular butter cookie; it gives it a bit of texture and flavour.
I use fine semolina so it doesn’t have to become moistened; it combines perfectly with the flour, so there isn’t as much texture but the flavour shines through, and you can tell it isn’t just plain flour.
You will need a wooden cookie mold for this, which you can find at a Middle Eastern store. They have different designs for different fillings. I just use this one for every cookie, but would like to add another one to my collection. You can use other tools in the kitchen if you can’t find a mold, such as the bottom of a glass which will give a design to the cookies, just wrap up the date ball in the dough and flatten it out with the glass. Or use what you have to mold and shape it, get creative!
What you will need for date filling:
- 1 pkg 375 g date paste
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tsp butter
- 1 tbsp sugar
- pinch of cinnamon
In a sauce pan, add in the water and butter and bring to a boil. Stir in the date paste and pinch of cinnamon and combine until it turns into a [paste].
What you will need for cookie dough:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1/2 cup semolina
- 2 cups flour
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 heaping tbsp yogurt
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup sugar
Cream together the butter, shortening and sugar. Add in the egg yolk and yogurt. Mix in the flour, baking powder and semolina until it turns into cookie dough.
To assemble, you can use butter or oil in the palm of your hands to shape the date paste into balls so it doesn’t get sticky. This also helps shaping the cookie dough.
Below are pictures to show you how I make it. I make about 30 to 32 balls of each date and cookie dough. I find it easier to form the cookies in the mold. I use plastic wrap to help shape and mold them as seen in the photo below.
I use parchment paper for the pan but it shouldn’t stick as it is a dry dough not a sticky one, but I like to be careful (and less clean up).
Place cookies on a baking sheet and bake at 375 for 10 minutes, bottom will brown and tops will remain slightly pale.
Dust with icing sugar if desired once partly cooled.
Shape date filling into small balls and the cookie dough into larger balls, as shown in the photo. Press the cookie dough into the mold and add the date ball in the centre. Fold over the dough to cover the date filling (the plastic wrap helps molding it). Take the plastic wrap and cover the dough and flatten with your hand. Flip out of the mold and there you have it, a cookie!
Donika has been blogging for years perfecting her craft in the kitchen. Cooking from Albanian and Turkish backgrounds her recipes will definitely make their way into your kitchen! 
