Apple Maamoul
Description
We’re taking maamoul to another level! Apple and cinnamon is a flavor combination I absolutely love, and I bet you agree with me. The warming notes of cinnamon perfectly complement the crisp tartness of the apples, while the walnuts add a delicious nutty bite. And when you bring it all together with the maamoul dough, the result exceeded my expectations.
Equipment
- A wooden maamoul mold
- An oven sheet
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 cup sunflower oil
- 1 cup ghee at room temperature
- ¾ cup water
- 1 cup full-cream powdered milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup orange blossom water
- 1 teaspoon mahlab optional
- 3 cups farina called theen farkha in Arabic
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour starting with 2½ cups and adding more as needed
- 1 level tablespoon baking powder
For the apple filling:
- 1 kg / 2 lb 4 oz apples any yellow variety
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
Instructions
Directions:
- For the apple filling: Peel, core, and shred the apples. Transfer them to a skillet, add the sugar, cinnamon powder, and nutmeg, and cook over medium heat for about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are cooked and have considerably dried out. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool completely. Add the chopped walnuts and stir well to combine.
- To make the maamoul dough: In a large bowl, combine the oil, ghee, powdered sugar, powdered milk, water, vanilla extract, and orange blossom water. Whisk well until fully incorporated and the mixture becomes creamy.Add the mahlab and baking powder, followed by the farina, and mix gently. Gradually add the all-purpose flour, gently mixing until everything is well combined and you have a soft, malleable, and pliable dough.Cover the dough and set it aside to rest for 1 hour.
To shape the apple maamoul
Divide the dough into small balls, roughly the size of an apricot. Using your finger, make a hole in the center of each ball and place a heaped teaspoon of apple filling inside. Seal the opening by gently pinching the dough together, then roll it into a smooth ball.Place the stuffed balls, one at a time, into the wooden maamoul mold. Press the dough gently into the mold to level the surface.Gently tap the mold against a countertop to release the maamoul. The maamoul should come out easily. Transfer each piece to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F.
- Bake the apple maamoul on the upper-third rack of the oven to help preserve the beautiful maamoul patterns. Keep in mind that maamoul bakes quickly and only needs slight browning. Bake for about 10 minutes, but keep a close eye on them to prevent burning from the stronger heat at the top of the oven.If the bottoms of the maamoul are still undercooked, you may need to move the tray to the lower rack and bake for a few additional minutes.
- Remove them from the oven, leave them to cool, dust with powdered sugar, and serve with a cup of tea or coffee. How festive!
Video
Notes
If you make Hadia’s Lebanese “Apple Maamoul,” leave a comment below or share your creations with us on Facebook using #Hadia’sLebaneseCuisine. I’d love to hear from you!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!