Makroud are one of the delicious culinary products of the Maghreb region. With a Tunisian-inspired recipe from the new cookbook Crumbs, a collection of treats from around the world compiled by food researcher Ben Mims, unpacks the cookies’ significance and explains how to make them.
Often credited as a speciality of the Tunisian city of Kairouan, this stuffed cookie is popular across the Maghreb countries of North Africa. Filled with a spiced, orange-scented date paste, makroud are sometimes referenced as a Berber form of maamoul, which is also often filled with dates. Unlike maamoul, these diamond-shaped cookies are traditionally deep-fried and then coated in a fragrant honey syrup.
The cookies are often eaten, again like maamoul, by Muslims throughout Ramadan and for the Eid holidays. For Sephardic Jews, the cookies are often served for Purim and Hanukkah. They are traditionally stamped using a makrout mold, but these are difficult to source; using a box grater and cutting the dough into diamonds, as this recipe does, is a common workaround in many recipes. The baking soda in the recipe helps to provide a little aeration to the dough, so it’s not so dense, but omit it if you like. But don’t omit the saffron; it’s essential to the flavour, and colour, of these rich cookies.
MAKROUD - FRIED DATE-FILLED SEMOLINA COOKIES
Makes ~30 cookies
- Make the dough: In a small bowl, combine the warm water and saffron and let stand for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place the semolina in a large bowl and form a well in the center. Stir the salt and baking soda into the saffron water and then pour the mixture into the well of the semolina along with the oil. Stir until a smooth dough forms and there are no dry patches of semolina remaining. Shape the dough into a ball, divide into 2 equal portions, and shape each piece into a ball. Wrap each ball separately and let them stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, make the filling: In a food processor, combine the dates, hot water, olive oil, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and orange zest and pulse until it forms a smooth paste. Divide the filling in half and scrape each half into a small plastic piping bag or zip-top food storage bag. Set aside until ready to use; do not snip off the tips yet.
- Make the honey syrup: In a small saucepan, combine the water, sugar, honey, lemon juice, orange blossom water, and salt and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the syrup cool completely.
- On a lightly floured work surface, unwrap one ball of dough and shape it into a log 30cm long. Using your thumb, press along the top of the log to flatten the middle, creating a narrow trench. Snip the bottom corner of one bag of filling and pipe it into the trench. Using your fingers, bring the dough on either side of the trench up and over to cover the filling, pinching to seal it shut. Roll the log back and forth, elongating it to 46 cm, while also smoothing its seam.
- Using the zesting side of a box grater, gently stamp the pattern of the holes on top of the log while flattening it slightly to 2 cm thick. Using a paring knife, trim and discard the ends, then cut the log on the diagonal every 2.5 cm to create diamonds. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling to make more diamonds.
- To finish: Line a large baking sheet with paper towels. Place a serving platter next to it. Place a slotted spoon in the cooled honey syrup.
- Pour enough oil into a large frying pan to come 13 mm up the sides of the pan. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it registers 177°C on a deep-fry thermometer.
- Working in four batches, fry the diamonds, flipping halfway through, until golden brown all over, 3-4 minutes total.
- Using tongs, remove the cookies from the oil and transfer to the paper towels to drain for 10 seconds, then place them directly in the honey syrup, turning to ensure they’re fully coated. Lift the cookies from the syrup with the slotted spoon, let the excess drain away, then transfer them to the platter. Repeat frying and coating the remaining cookies.
- If you like, sprinkle the top of the cookies with sesame seeds before serving. For storing, pour any remaining syrup around the cookies on the platter and store at room temperature, covered in plastic wrap.
Crumbs: Cookies and Sweets from Around the World by Ben Mims, $80, published by Phaidon.
More sugary treats
Try to keep these away from the sweet tooths.
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