During this Easter weekend, you will find this little filled cake everywhere in homes, as it is tradition.

Maamoul is an irresistible pastry that is consumed during the Easter and Ramadan holidays in Lebanon and the Middle East. It is one of the most famous Lebanese sweets, prepared for these occasions. Its origin is uncertain, differing according to communities and regions.

Families gather a few days before the big Easter weekend to prepare these delicious little cakes made of semolina, butter, orange blossom water, and rose water, filled with walnuts, pistachios, or dates. Maamoul is considered a gift cake since it is filled and offered for Easter. Its shape is that of an egg, symbolizing birth and thus the resurrection of Christ, marked by a cross drawn on the cake. Traditional wooden molds imprint arabesques or geometric shapes on this little cake to differentiate each flavor.

Although the recipe and ingredients seem quite simple, the process requires a lot of work and patience.

Here is a foolproof maamoul recipe:

Ingredients for 50 pieces:

For the dough:

500 g fine semolina

200 g butter

10 cl orange blossom water

10 cl rose water

10 cl hot water

5 cl orange blossom water

Icing sugar for decoration (optional)

For the filling:

200 g coarsely crushed walnuts or pistachios, or date paste

140 g sugar

1 tablespoon rose water

Instructions:

For the dough: mix the semolina, melted butter, orange blossom water, and rose water. Add the hot water, then let rest overnight, covered with a cloth. After this resting time, add the orange blossom water to the dough and knead until the dough no longer sticks to your fingers.

For the filling: in a bowl, pour the dried fruit (walnuts, pistachios, or dates) then add the sugar and rose water.

Preheat the oven to 200°C (392°F).

Shape the maamouls. You will use the traditional wooden mold.

Form small balls of dough, about 15g each (the size of an apricot).

In the palm of your hand, hollow out the ball to place a teaspoon of filling, fold the dough over the filling, and work the ball so that the filling is well coated. Place the dough ball in the middle of the wooden mold, which you have greased the bottom of. Press down, then turn the mold over and tap to release the maamoul.

Place the maamouls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (392°F) for about 20 minutes.

The cakes should remain white, barely colored underneath. Let them cool.

Serve them sprinkled with icing sugar.

Maamouls can be stored for a week in an airtight container.