Sugar-Free Eid Maamoul
This is a sugar-free Eid maamoul recipe based on a basic dough of zero flour, firkha flour, ghee, and iced water, with four main flavors/shapes: traditional maamoul with a walnut filling; maamoul made with powdered pistachio dough and filled with date paste; maamoul flavored with Nescafé and filled with walnuts; and maamoul flavored with rose water and filled with pistachios. The chef emphasizes that the dough should be rubbed only with ghee, then chilled, and that the fillings are sweetened with honey and enriched with ghee to keep them soft. Bake in a 200°C oven with continuous monitoring; it takes approximately 9 to 12 minutes, depending on the oven.
A sugar-free version of Eid maamoul, a filled holiday cookie.
Like Middle Eastern stuffed cookies for celebrations.
Maamoul is usually shaped in molds or by hand and filled before baking.
Ingredients
- 375 g Zero flour (all-purpose flour)
- 250 g Firkha flour (fine semolina)
- 310 g Animal ghee or any type of ghee you prefer
- 125 ml Iced water
- 250 g Date paste
- 250 g Pistachios
- 250 g Walnuts
- 3 tbsp Ghee for the fillings
- to taste Ground cardamom
- to taste Fine cinnamon
- to taste Honey, sugar, or any sweetener
- 200 g Powdered Aleppo pistachios
- tbsp Nescafé
- 100 g Dried roses
- 30 ml Iced water extracted from dried roses
- three drops Rose water extract
- mentioned as an optional addition Mahleb
- 3 cups Zero flour
- 2 cups Fine semolina (firkha flour)
- 2½ cups Ghee
- approximately 300 g or slightly more Date paste
- 125 ml Iced water
- 250 g Aleppo pistachios
- 250 g Walnuts
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the zero flour and firkha flour. Add the ghee and rub with your hands until the mixture resembles cream.
- Place the dough in the freezer to chill thoroughly while preparing the fillings.
- In a plastic bag, crush the Aleppo pistachios with a rolling pin until they are between coarse and fine, then transfer them to a bowl.
- In a plastic bag, crush the walnuts with a rolling pin until they are between coarse and fine, then transfer them to a bowl.
- In a bowl, mix the crushed Aleppo pistachios with honey until the filling holds together. Add 1 teaspoon of ghee and mix until soft.
- In another bowl, mix the crushed walnuts with honey until the filling holds together. Add 1 teaspoon of ghee and mix until soft.
- Place the date paste in a bowl and add the ghee. Add the ground cardamom and fine cinnamon, then mix until softened.
- Remove part of the dough from the freezer for the traditional method, keeping the remaining portion chilled for the other flavors.
- In a small bowl, mix the Nescafé with the iced water until dissolved. Add a little honey and mix.
- In a bowl, combine the rose water extracted from dried roses with three drops of rose water extract. Add a little honey and mix.
- Take a portion of the traditional dough and flatten it in your hand. Add the walnut filling and close it into a ball or an elongated shape suitable for the mold.
- Press the maamoul piece into the mold with the palm of your hand, then tap it on the countertop to release it. Place it on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
- Take a portion of the dough mixed with powdered pistachios and flatten it in your hand. Add the date-paste filling and close it into a ball or an elongated shape suitable for the mold.
- Take a portion of the dough mixed with Nescafé and knead it only lightly. Add the walnut filling and close it into a ball or an elongated shape suitable for the mold.
- Take a portion of the dough mixed with rose water and knead it only lightly. Add the pistachio filling and close it into a ball or an elongated shape suitable for the mold.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C with both top and bottom heat on.
- Place the maamoul tray in the middle of the oven and watch it until cooked.
- Remove the maamoul from the oven when it reaches a suitable color. This may take about 9 to 12 minutes, depending on the oven.
- Allow the maamoul to cool before serving so that its soft, melt-in-the-mouth texture develops.