Maamoul: Date-filled cookies

Ingredients:

Filling

• 220 g soft pitted Medjool dates
• 2 tablespoons of water
• A pinch of fine salt
• 1/4 cup finely chopped candied ginger
• 0.5 tsp finely grated orange zest

Dough

• 2 cups premium flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tbsp powdered sugar + about 0.5-2 tbsp for sprinkling
• A pinch of fine salt
• 110 g unsalted butter + 2 tbsp.
• 2 tablespoons neutral vegetable oil, such as canola
• 1/4 cup milk

Apricot and nut filling

• 1/3 cup toasted and chopped hazelnuts (or other nuts)
• 1/3 cup golden raisins
• 3 tbsp. l. apricot jam
• A pinch of fine salt

Quince and walnut filling

• 0.5 cups toasted walnuts
• 1/3 cup quince jam
• A pinch of fine salt

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 160°C.
2. Preparing the filling:
   
   Combine the filling ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Set aside. Clean the food processor bowl. Place the flour, baking powder, granulated sugar, and salt in the food processor bowl and pulse 3-4 times. Add the butter, vegetable oil, and milk, beating until the dough comes together. Be careful not to overprocess the dough; it will be slightly wet.
   
   Apricot and nut filling: Blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
   
   Quince and walnut filling: Blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
3. Remove the dough from the food processor and form it into 20 equal-sized balls. Place each dough ball in the palm of your hand and flatten into a 7-cm (3-inch) circle. Place 1 heaping teaspoon of filling in the center of each circle and fold the edges of the dough up and around the filling. Pinch the dough to seal, then gently roll it between your palms to form a smooth, round ball. Press lightly to flatten the cookies slightly, then place them seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Gently prick the cookies with a fork or wooden skewer, creating a pattern of dots, being careful not to pierce the dough all the way through to the filling.
4. Bake until the cookies are firm and slightly puffed, 25 to 30 minutes. The tops should be pale and the bottoms should just begin to darken. Dust generously with powdered sugar, cool, and dust again.