Ma'amoul (Arabian Filled Pastries)

Instructions

Make the fillings first. Stir the pistachios with sugar and rose water in one bowl, and the walnuts with sugar and cinnamon in another. For the date filling, cook the dates with the water in a pot, pressing them against the side with a wooden spoon until the mixture is fairly uniform, then stir in butter if you like. Blend it for a smoother paste if you prefer, and let it cool.

Sift the flour into a large bowl and mix in the white sugar, plus a pinch of salt or a very little baking powder if you want them. Work in the butter until the mixture is as even as possible. Warming the butter in a microwave until nearly melted makes this easier and gives a crumbly texture. Cover the bowl and leave it at room temperature for several hours or overnight.

Break up the rested dough with your fingers and add the rose water or orange flower water and the 2 tbsp of water or milk. Knead it into a smooth, malleable ball. If it dries out at any point, knead in a little more water or milk.

Pinch off a walnut-sized piece of dough and push your thumb into it, hollowing it into a cup with walls as thin as you can make them without tearing. Fill it about three-quarters full with your chosen filling. Pinch the opening closed and pat the pastry gently into a ball.

Shape the top. Press a pattern into it with crimping tweezers or the prongs of a fork. Or press the ball into a wooden ma'amoul mould, flatten the exposed base, and knock the mould face down on the work surface to release it. Repeat until all the dough and filling are used.

Set the pastries on an ungreased baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C / 355°F (160°C for a fan oven) for 20 minutes. They should not turn hard or brown, and will look a little moist and underdone when you take them out. They firm up as they cool.

Let the pastries cool completely, then dust with icing sugar. Store them in a sealed plastic box or biscuit tin.