Makrout (Also Maqrood, Makroudh)

Submitted by Jessie L

"This recipe is from my blog, Desserts from Around the Globe, where I write about my attempts to prepare one dessert from every country of the world. Makrout are a pastry that is typical for Tunisia, Marocco and Lybia. It can be either oven baked, fried in oil or baked in a pan, but this recipe describes the first method."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 45mins
• Ingredients: 10
• Serves: 25-30

ingredients

• 200 g semolina
• 65 g flour
• 80 g melted butter
• 100 ml warm water
• 2 tablespoons orange blossom water (optional)
• 250 g dates (blended into date paste)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 50 g dry roasted sesame seeds
• 200 ml liquid honey

directions

1. Combine the semolina and flour, add the melted butter. The semolina should be coated with melted butter. Keep aside to rest for at least one hour.
2. Now the filling. If you don’t have store-bought date paste, just blend the dates and maybe add some water. I am speaking from experience when I say that if you are using homemade date paste, put it in the fridge for a while, especially if it looks too runny to you.
3. When the paste is of the right texture, dry roast the sesame seeds in a pan. Mix the date paste with cinnamon, butter and the sesame seeds.
4. Preheat the oven at 200°C.
5. Take the equivalent of a golf ball of date mixture and roll it into a thin log shape, about 1 /1.5 cm diameter. Repeat will the rest of the date mixture and keep aside.
6. To finish off the dough, add about 1 dl of warm water (or until you see you have the right texture – not too sticky and not too dry) and, if you have it, 2 tablespoons of orange blossom water.
7. Keep kneading until the dough is soft and manageable. Take a handful of the dough and roll it. Place one of the date paste log in the middle and roll the dough over it. Press slightly on the top to flatten it. Cut diamond shapes and decorate the top. If you have the special makrout mold, you can use it, or you can just experiment a little with the pattern. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.
8. In the meantime, warm up the honey in a pan and add the orange blossom water (again, if you have it).
9. When the makroutes are ready, pour the honey over them. You can also sprinkle them with sesame seeds if you want.