Syrian Ma'arouk Bread

Ingredients

• 1 cup (200 ml) Warm milk
• 1 cup (200 ml) Warm water
• half a cup (100 ml) Vegetable oil
• whites only from 2 large eggs Egg whites
• half a cup (75 g) Sugar
• 1 tbsp (12 g) Yeast
• 7 1/2 cups (750 g) Flour
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Mahleb
• Mentioned in the chef's words: "First thing, we will get two bowls of butter." Butter
• Mentioned as the reserved part of the eggs: "And before I mix the egg whites with them... we will take the yolks and use them at the end." Egg yolks
• Mentioned as a filling Date paste
• Mentioned as a garnish and for the filling Sesame seeds
• Mentioned as a filling Coconut
• Mentioned as a filling Raisins
• Mentioned as a filling Banana
• Mentioned as a filling Date molasses
• Mentioned as a filling Tahini
• Mentioned as a garnish Powdered sugar
• Mentioned as a filling Ashta
• Mentioned as an alternative/addition to the ashta Sweetened condensed milk
• Mentioned as a garnish Aleppo pistachios
• Mentioned as a filling Lotus cream
• Mentioned as a garnish Lotus biscuits
• Mentioned as a filling Pistachio cream
• Mentioned as a filling Peanut cream
• Mentioned as a filling White chocolate
• Mentioned as a filling Dark chocolate
• Mentioned as a garnish Strawberries

Instructions

1. In a bowl, mix the warm milk with the warm water, vegetable oil, egg whites, sugar, yeast, and mahleb.
2. In another bowl, mix the flour with the salt.
3. Gradually add the flour mixture to the first bowl, mixing until a soft dough forms.
4. Knead the dough on the work surface, dusting with flour as needed, until it is cohesive and soft.
5. Add the oil to the dough on the work surface, coat it with the oil, then shape it into a ball.
6. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, then cover it and leave it to rise in a warm place.
7. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or prepare it for baking.
8. After rising, divide the dough and shape the pieces according to the desired fillings.
9. Roll out a piece of dough on an oiled work surface, then place the date paste or chosen filling inside and seal it well.
10. Shape the filled pieces on the tray, then leave them to rise a second time in a switched-off oven or a warm place.
11. Preheat the oven to 200°C, top and bottom heat.
12. Mix the eggs with the milk, then brush the tops of the ma'arouk with the mixture before baking.
13. Bake the tray in the oven on the lower rack until the pieces puff up and turn golden.
14. Leave the ma'arouk to cool after baking, then add the fillings or garnishes mentioned in the video according to the type.