Maamoul Mad Bil Tamer / Lebanese Date Bars
Description
Maamoul Mad Bil Tamer, or Date Bars, are every date lover’s dream. They have a supremely dense date filling sandwiched between layers of buttery, crumbly semolina dough. In Lebanon, they come in numerous varieties and fillings, made with either dates, walnuts, or pistachios.The word mad literally translates to “spread,” so Maamoul Mad refers to maamoul that is spread and baked in a pan or tray.
Equipment
- Food Processor
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 2 cups farina طحين فرخة / taheen farkha
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup semolina
- 1 tablespoon powdered milk
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1¼ cups ghee or clarified butter at room temperature
- ¾ cup rose water
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon ghee for greasing the baking pan
For the Date Filling
- 1.5 kg / 3 lb 5 oz Medjool dates or any good-quality soft variety
- 3 tablespoons ghee
- ½ teaspoon mastic gum crushed, or a pinch of cinnamon powder
- 3 tablespoons orange blossom water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F, with a rack in the center.
- Prepare the filling: Pull the dates open and remove the pits by hand.
- Transfer the dates to a food processor and add the ghee, orange blossom water, and mastic gum. Blend until you have a smooth paste. If your food processor is having trouble breaking down the dates and achieving a smooth consistency, add a couple of tablespoons of water and continue blending.
- Prepare the dough: In a large bowl, combine the farina, semolina, flour, ghee, powdered sugar, milk powder, baking soda, and rose water.
- Mix the dough with your fingertips. The mixture will initially crumble; continue kneading until you have a smooth, pliable dough. Divide it into two equal portions.
- Lightly grease a 40 cm / 15-inch round cake pan with a tablespoon of ghee. Using the palms of your hands, spread one portion of the dough evenly over the greased pan, covering the entire surface.
- Spread the date filling evenly over the dough. If the date filling is still stiff, add 1–2 tablespoons of orange blossom water to make it more malleable and easier to spread, but don’t add too much. Make sure the date filling covers the dough evenly.
- Top it with the other half of the dough. Divide the dough into pieces and spread them over the filling one at a time. Use your wet palm to patch the pieces together, smoothing and leveling the surface to form one continuous, even layer.
- Use a fork to make criss-cross marks on the surface of the Maamoul Mad bil Tamer. These distinctive marks are characteristic of this type of maamoul.
- Bake until the top and bottom are an attractive golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
- With a paring knife, score into medium-sized squares. Sublime!
Video
Notes
Storage: Maamoul Mad Bil Tamer (Date Bars) can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 6 days, refrigerated for up to 2 weeks, or frozen for up to 2 months.
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