Maamoul

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes
• 1 cup powdered sugar or confectioners' sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons orange blossom water
• 4-5 tablespoons milk
• powdered sugar or confectioners' sugar, to sprinkle on

Nuts Filling

• 2 cups pistachios, walnuts or almonds
• 4-5 tablespoons sugar
• 2-3 orange blossom water

Dates Filling

• 2 cups pitted dates

Directions

1. 1

   Prepare the filling.

2. 2

   For the nuts filling, finely chop the nuts and add sugar and enough orange-blossom water to moisten and hold the nuts together. If you're using walnuts, reduce the amount of the water to 1 tablespoon.

3. 3

   For the dates filling, place the pitted dates in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 3-4 minutes, take out and immediately mash with a fork to form a paste. Set aside to cool completely.

4. 4

   In a mixer or by hand mix the flour, sugar and butter. Add the water and milk just enough for the dough to hold together.

5. 5

   Let rest for 30 minutes as this makes the dough easier to handle.

6. 6

   Form the cookies.

7. 7

   Take a walnut size lump of dough.

8. 8

   Roll it into a ball and hollow it out with your thumb. Pinch the sides up to make a pot shape.

9. 9

   Fill the hole three-quarters full with the filling.

10. 10

    Bring the dough up over the opening to close into a ball. Flatten slightly.

11. 11

    Slightly decorate the tops with tweezers or a fork, (this will help the confectioners' sugar to cling after they are baked.

12. 12

    Place cookies on parchment paper and cook in a pre-heated 325 F oven for 20-25 minutes. Cookies should not become brown as this will affect the taste.

13. 13

    While warm, dust the cookies with confectioners' or powered sugar.