Recipe to Riches, Season 2 Mahbooz Date Cookies Recipe

Finalist: Chantal Bekhor Category: Cookies and Squares

** Please credit recipe as courtesy of Food Network Canada**

Serves: 24 Prep time: 45 minutes

Rising time: 30 minutes Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

½ cup (125 ml) warm water ¼ tsp (1 ml) salt

1 pkg (2-¼ tsp/11 ml) active dry yeast 2 cups (500 ml) all-purpose flour

½ tsp (2 ml) fennel seeds

½ tsp (2 ml) black onion seeds or black cumin seeds ¼ tsp (1 ml) ground cardamom

¼ cup (50 ml) vegetable oil 1 cup (250 ml) ground pitted dates

1 egg yolk, beaten ¼ cup (50 ml) sesame seeds

Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. In small

bowl, stir together warm water and salt; sprinkle yeast over top. Cover with plastic wrap; let stand for 10 minutes or until foamy.

Meanwhile, in large bowl, whisk together flour, fennel seeds, black onion

seeds and cardamom until combined. Add oil and yeast mixture; using hands, mix together until soft dough forms. Cover bowl with damp clean tea

towel; let stand in a warm place for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400˚F (200˚C). Turn dough out onto floured surface. Punch

down dough with closed hands. Form a walnut-sized ball of dough; make an indent in centre of dough using your finger. Fill indent with ground date

paste; wrap dough around date paste to seal. Roll out ball into a 2 ½-inch (6

cm) circle; place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough

and date paste for a total of 24 cookies. Brush with egg yolk; sprinkle with sesame seeds. One baking sheet at a time, bake in centre of oven for 10 to

12 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.

CHEF’S TIP: If you are not able to find ground dates, place pitted dates in a food processor and pulse until they are chopped into fine pieces.

***Tested and modified for simplicity