PAUL’S MA’AMOUL

Stuffed with dates

(below) or walnuts (main image), these short, buttery pastries originate from the Levantine region of the Middle East.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

A ma’amoul mould and ma’amoul tongs (available online); 1 baking sheet lined with parchment

Makes 12

A pinch of mastic gum (available online)

20g (¾oz) caster sugar

175g (6oz) fine semolina

20g (¾oz) plain flour

½tsp ground mahlab (Middle Eastern spice, from specialist shops or online) 90g (3¼oz) chilled ghee 2tsp orange blossom water 2tsp rose water

Icing sugar, to dust

For the date filling

75g (2¾oz) medjool dates, stoned

1tbsp rose water

¼tsp ground cinnamon ¼tsp ground mahlab

For the walnut filling

25g (1oz) walnuts

25g (1oz) golden raisins 1tbsp orange blossom honey ¼tsp ground cardamom

STEP 1 Put the mastic in a mortar with 1tsp sugar and grind to a powder with the pestle. Tip into a bowl and add the remaining sugar, along with the semolina, flour and mahlab. Mix well.

STEP 2 Add the ghee and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine crumbs (see tip, far right). Add the orange blossom and rose waters and bring the dough together with your hands. Tip out onto a floured work surface. Knead for 5 minutes, until smooth, then wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes.

STEP 3 For the date filling, place the dates in the bowl of a mini food processor with the rose water, cinnamon and mahlab and blitz to a paste. Divide the mixture into 6 and roll into balls (doing so with wet hands will prevent the paste sticking).

STEP 4 For the walnut filling, place the walnuts in the bowl of a mini food processor with the raisins, honey and cardamom and blitz to a paste. Divide the mixture into 6 and roll into balls.

STEP 5 Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Divide the dough into 12 pieces, each about 25g. Roll each piece of dough into a ball and cover with a damp tea towel.

STEP 6 With damp hands, flatten each ball of dough in

the palm of one hand, turning it around as you go and lifting the edges to form a little cup. The cups should be about 3mm thick and the sides 3cm high.

STEP 7 Fill 6 of the pastry cups with a ball of date filling and the remaining 6 pastry cups with a ball of walnut filling. Pinch the dough over the filling to seal and roll each into a ball.

STEP 8 Lightly flour the ma’amoul mould and press one of the walnut-filled balls into the mould. Turn it out onto the lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining 5 walnut-filled balls.

STEP 9 With the 6 date-filled balls, use the ma’amoul tongs and pinch the pastry to create a decorative design (see below). Place on the baking sheet.

STEP 10 Bake all the ma’amoul for 12-14 minutes, until golden on the bottom but pale or very lightly golden on the edges. Remove from the oven, cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool fully. Dust the walnut ma’amoul with icing sugar before serving.