Cheese Maamoul
Description
This dessert is special enough to serve it for a dinner party or holiday feast, but also comes together fast enough to make it suitable for a weeknight dessert! The recipe is a cinch to make, as long as you plan ahead.
Equipment
- ramekins
Ingredients
- 1 cup fine semolina farina
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup ghee use the best-quality ghee you can find
- 8 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons powdered milk
- 1 teaspoon ground mahlab mahleb
- 2 tablespoons orange blossom water
- ½ cup milk
- 300 g 10.5 oz desalted Akkawi cheese or mozzarella, shredded
For Garnish
- A handful of chopped pistachios
- Orange blossom petal jam
Instructions
- Heat the ghee gently over low to medium heat until completely melted. While still warm, pour it over the fine semolina and stir until well combined, ensuring the semolina is evenly coated. Cover and set aside to rest for at least 2 hours, or overnight, before adding the remaining ingredients. This resting time allows the semolina to absorb the ghee, helping create a tender, flavorful maamoul dough.
- After four hours or more, you’ll notice that the semolina grains have softened and absorbed the ghee. Add the flour, powdered sugar, mahlab, and powdered milk. Using your fingertips, rub the ingredients together until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.Add the orange blossom water, followed by the milk gradually, mixing with your hands until well combined. Gently bring the mixture together, kneading just enough to form a cohesive dough ball. Cover and let the dough rest for another 30 minutes before proceeding with the recipe.
- Meanwhile, prepare the cheese filling. Choose a cheese with good melting properties, such as Tchiki Akkawi or mozzarella.If using Tchiki Akkawi, keep in mind that it is heavily salted for preservation and needs to be desalted before use. Shred the cheese, place it in a bowl, cover with water, and soak for about 8 hours, changing the water every hour to reduce its saltiness. Once desalted, drain the cheese thoroughly and squeeze out any excess moisture.If using mozzarella, simply shred the cheese and skip the soaking process! Make sure the cheese is well drained and as dry as possible before filling the maamoul.
- Soak up the moisture in cheese with paper towels: Put your shredded cheese on top of kitchen paper towels. Place additional kitchen towels on top of the cheese. Use gentle pressure to press the moisture out of the mozzarella. Repeat until you have removed the desired amount of moisture.The cheese has to be totally dry before stuffing the maamoul, otherwise your dough will crack while baking.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Divide the dough into 14 equal portions and roll each portion into a ball. Working with one ball at a time, flatten it with your hands to about ½ inch thick. Press your thumb into the center to create a well for the filling, then gently shape the sides with your fingers to ensure they are even.Fill each dough round with 1 tablespoon of shredded cheese. Carefully bring the edges of the dough together over the filling and pinch firmly to seal. Proper molding and sealing are key to preventing the cheese from leaking out during baking!To shape the cheese maamoul, wrap a cup or deep ramekin with plastic wrap, covering the bottom and sides and allowing the wrap to extend over the rim. Place a filled dough ball inside and gently press it down to level and shape it.Alternatively, for larger cheese maamoul, use a jumbo, deep muffin pan. Place each filled dough round directly into a muffin cavity and gently press to shape. There’s no need for plastic wrap with this method! You can freeze the maamoul directly in the muffin pan and bake them straight from the freezer when you’re ready.
- Freeze the shaped maamoul for at least 1 hour before baking. Don’t skip this step! It helps the dough firm up and keeps the cheese filling from leaking out in the oven.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden while the tops remain slightly pale. Remove from the oven and immediately dust with powdered sugar. Garnish with chopped raw pistachios and a little orange blossom petal jam, if desired. Serve warm and enjoy these delicious, gooey cheese maamoul straight from the oven. Simply irresistible!
- Cheese maamoul are perfect for making ahead and freezing! Arrange the unbaked maamoul on a baking sheet and freeze until firm. Once frozen, wrap each one individually in plastic wrap and transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag.When you’re ready to bake, place the frozen maamoul directly in a preheated 400°F (200°C) oven and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden and the tops remain slightly pale. There’s no need to thaw them first!A wonderful make-ahead dessert to have on hand for unexpected guests, holiday gatherings, or whenever you’re craving a warm, gooey cheese maamoul!
Notes
Note: You have two options for shaping and baking cheese maamoul. Both work beautifully! The main difference is that the maamoul in Option 1 may spread a little during baking, while Option 2 produces larger, more uniform shapes.
Option 1: Using a cup or deep ramekin
Line a cup or deep ramekin with plastic wrap, covering the bottom and sides and leaving enough overhang to fold over the top. Place a filled dough ball inside and gently press it down to level the surface. Freeze until the maamoul are completely firm. Remove the plastic wrap, transfer the maamoul to a baking sheet, and bake as directed in the recipe.
Option 2: Using a jumbo muffin pan
Grease a jumbo muffin pan generously. I like to brush the cups with melted ghee for an even coating. Place one filled dough ball in each muffin cup and gently press it down to level the surface. There’s no need for plastic wrap with this method! Simply freeze the maamoul directly in the muffin pan, then transfer the pan straight from the freezer to the oven when you’re ready to bake.
Both methods work well, so choose whichever suits you best!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!