Ma'akaron, Lebanese Sweet Anise Fritters
Description
When I got married, Mom taught me how to make it. She had eventually learned the recipe from her mother, and it has remained in my cooking repertoire ever since. It’s so addictive that my friends request it whenever they come over.I have high expectations that you’ll agree once you try it for yourself. It’s so delectable and easy to make, and the dough comes together in just one bowl. The logs are rolled onto a grater, giving the ma’akaron its distinctive and impressive texture.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups semolina
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup rose water
- ¾ cup sunflower oil
- 2 tablespoons ghee or butter
- ½ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons anise seeds
For the Sugar Syrup
- 3 cups sugar
- 1½ cups water
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon orange blossom water
For Frying
- 4 cups sunflower oil or any neutral oil
Instructions
- To make the sugar syrup: Place the sugar, water, and lemon juice in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stir with a spatula, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 9 minutes. Add the orange blossom water and set aside to cool.This step can be done a few days before making the recipe. Allow the syrup to cool completely, then store it covered in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- To make the dough: In a large bowl, combine the flour, semolina, and whole anise seeds. Give them a quick mix, then add the milk, sunflower oil, ghee, and rose water. Knead the dough with your hands until it becomes soft and malleable. Set aside for 3 minutes.
- Divide the dough into equal-sized balls, roughly the size of an apricot.
- Using a grater, press each ball onto the grater to flatten it into a circle about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thick, while also creating an impression.
- Roll each flattened piece of dough into a finger shape (watch the video).
- Heat the oil to the appropriate frying temperature. Fry the ma'akarons in batches of 12 pieces at a time. Once the makarons begin to turn golden, reduce the heat to medium. The goal is to crisp the outside without burning them.Each batch takes approximately 7–8 minutes. Watch the detailed video tutorial for a visual guide.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and immediately drop into the sugar syrup (atter). Soak in the sugar syrup for 7 minutes, until the next batch is ready. Repeat the process with the remaining ma'akaron.
- Transfer to a large serving dish and garnish with chopped pistachios, if desired.
Video
Notes
- Feel free to leave out the garnish if you want to keep it nut-free.
- You can use farina instead of semolina; both yield good results, but I tend to gravitate toward semolina when making ma'akaron.
- The sugar syrup can be made up to 1 month ahead and kept covered in the fridge.
- By the way, some people call them asabe3 Zeinab, which translates to “Zeinab’s fingers.”
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!