Maamoul filled with orange, specifically Seville orange or bousfeyr (bitter orange), was not known in Lebanon when I grew up. The maamoul varieties made by my grandmother and countless other tétas throughout Lebanon were filled either with crushed almonds, pistachios, walnuts or date. Maamoul with bitter orange paste is actually a Syrian specialty. The Syrians are the recognized masters in the realm of several pastries like Barazek that we would go get from Damascus whenever someone we knew was traveling there; I believe these orange maamoul were originally created in Aleppo. I was in Damascus recently and was thrilled to see them on a pastry plate at the wonderful Naranj I loved the slightly tangy/sour/sweet/citrusy flavor of the orange filling contrasting with the buttery soft and crumbly maamoul shell. I had to try making them!
Winter is the season for Seville oranges so I searched high and low here in Austin for some, but did not have much luck! So I used regular sweet oranges. Since I could not get a hold of a reliable recipe, I improvised.
The orange filling can also be made with kumquats. I made this recipe twice and the second time, added some amardeen, that sweet apricot leather from Syria and used blood oranges.
By the way, Easter is coming up and if you are thinking of sending something to your loved ones in Lebanon, there is a new service that handles it perfectly. Presentail is an online gift shop dedicated to fulfilling gift deliveries Lebanon-wide for Lebanese expatriates. It enhances the online gift shopping experience by providing an easy-to-navigate website and checkout process. Its success can be attributed to the constant expansion of the products put forward, the numerous varieties and categories, and the continuous improvement of the overall user experience. Shop now to benefit from the best gift and flower delivery Lebanon has to offer to the world.
The leftover orange marmalade can be eaten with a spoon! Yummy with a cup of hot tea or coffee on a cold day.
The post Orange Maamoul appeared first on Taste of Beirut.
