Middle Eastern Cookies?

Question

Since Xmas is coming and I typically make the normal xmas cookies, I wanted to surprise my Jordanian husband with arabic cookies. Does anyone kno a recipie? Just thought it'd be nice to bake something from his heritage.

2 teaspoons ground cardamom (optional) or 1 tablespoon orange flower water or rose water (optional)

Im sorry, I dont kno any of these ingredients, but doesn't hurt to try :-D Thanks so much

Answer 1

These cookies are made all over the Middle East.Each country and each household has their favorite recipe. The traditional shape is a horse shoe with the 2 ends pinched together and a nut is placed where they meet.I only do that if I am receiving guest or for a spec ail occasions.


Arabic Cardamom Shortbread (Gorayba)

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons ground cardamom (optional) or 1 tablespoon orange flower water or rose water (optional)
1 cup pure ghee or clarified butter
1 cup icing sugar (Powdered sugar)
50 blanched almond halves or walnuts or pine nuts or pistachios
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1. Melt ghee in a saucepan on the stove.
2. Add icing sugar to ghee and mix till sugar is completely dissolved.
3. Remove from heat.
4. Add cardamom and gradually add in the flour and baking soda.
5. Mix well. dough should not stick to ur hand.
6. Add more flour if necessary.
7. Roll 1tsp of dough at a time into balls.
8. Place onto an oven tray, flatten slightly.
9. Place a nut of your choice in the middle of each cookie.
10. Bake @350 for 12 minutes,or until tops are cream.

Answer 2

Hello! I live in France, and those types of cookies are very common as there are a lot of middle-eastern people. I looked up a recipe, that's in french, argh, and so I translated it for you. Hope it helps!

Makrout

3 bowls of medium sized semoule grains
1 bowl of melted butter
4 tablespoons of sugar
400 grams of Dates in solid form, like in a log
2 tablespoons of Orange water
pinch of salt
1 tsp cinnamon
oil for frying
100 grams honey

In a large bowl, mix grains, salt, sugar and butter and mix well with your hands

Add a bit of warm water and work until it's smooth.

Set aside for a couple of minutes

In another bowl, mix Date log, cinnamon and orange water.

Make little logs, cut a hole in the middle, and stuff with Date mixture. Close the edges well, and smooth with your hands and flatten slightly.

Fry in hot oil. Brown on both sides, drain, and dip in warm honey. Once cooled, you can conserve in a tin.


Good luck! email me if you need more details, I have several recipes, and just need to translate them.

Answer 3

I would go to Avo's Bakery at http://www.avosbakery.com for great Middle Eastern breads and cookies.