Traditional Ma'amoul with Cream Filling
Ingredients
Dough
- 3 cups fine semolina
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mastic
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup butter at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons orange blossom water
- 3 tablespoons rose water
Filling
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup milk powder
- 2/3 cup starch
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange blossom water
For serving
- syrup
Decoration
- ground pistachio
Preparation
In the mixer bowl, place the semolina, yeast, mastic, and sugar. Attach the paddle attachment and mix on medium speed until combined, then add the butter, orange blossom water, and rose water. Mix on medium speed until the dough forms.
Place the dough in an oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for about an hour.
For the cream filling, in a medium thick-bottomed pot, combine water, milk powder, sugar, starch, and orange blossom water. Use a whisk to dissolve the starch. Place on medium heat and stir with a wooden spoon until a smooth pudding forms.
Position the oven rack in the middle and preheat the oven to 180°C.
Prepare a 9 or 10 inch high-sided pan by lining it with parchment paper.
Between two sheets of parchment paper, roll out half of the dough to a square the size of the pan. Place it in the bottom of the pan and press with fingers to cover completely.
Spread the cream filling over the dough layer.
Roll out the remaining dough to the same size and place it over the cream layer.
Bake in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes.
Immediately after removing from the oven, sprinkle generously with ground pistachio and let cool completely in the pan.
Remove from the pan, cut into squares as desired, and serve.
