KITCHEN NOTES
What is it?
This wooden paddle-like tool resembling an old-fashioned butter mold is used to form ma’amoul, a cookie popular throughout the Middle East. Ma’amoul are enjoyed year-round, but they’re best known as celebratory treats served during the feasts that mark the end of the religious fasts of Ramadan and Lent. These semolina shortbread cookies are typically stuffed with chopped nuts such as walnuts or pistachios, along with dates, warm spices, and rose or orange blossom water. Legend has it that the cookies’ somewhat plain exterior is a reminder that fasting is hard, but it comes with a sweet reward.
My wooden mold measures about 9 inches long by 3 inches wide and has a decorative well carved into one side. To make cookies, I patted semolina dough in my palm; wrapped it around a ball of date-nut filling; and then gently pressed it into the mold’s well, which I lined with plastic wrap to prevent sticking. I turned each cookie onto a sheet covered in parchment and baked them until just golden. The mold worked flawlessly, producing beautiful, domed cookies with a distinctive pattern. Once they cooled, I dusted the cookies with confectioners’ sugar, per tradition. –S.D.
The Treacly Secrets of Golden Syrup
Golden syrup (also known as light treacle) looks and flows like honey and functions a lot like corn syrup, but its caramelized flavor distinguishes it from other liquid sweeteners.
