Maakaroun is a finger shaped semolina sweets, deep fried then soaked in sugar syrup.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup fine semolina, ferkha flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon anise seed powder
• 1/4 teaspoon mahlab,
• 5/16 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 pinch of salt
• 6 cups Vegetable oil for frying

For the sugar syrup:

• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon orange blossom water
• 1 teaspoon rose water

Prep: 30 Minutes
Cook: 20 Minutes
Servings: 33

Directions

• In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together except the water.

• Gradually add the water while kneading until you get a firm dough. Add more water if needed. Leave to rest for 30 min.

• To make the maakroun, split the dough into small walnut-sized balls. Roll each ball into a finger-like shape.

• Press each finger piece on the surface of a patterned kitchen tool like a cheese grater or a strainer to imprint a pattern on the dough. Roll down the dough with your fingers while slightly exerting pressure against the patterned tool. Keep the dough rolled without sealing the edges. Repeat with the remaining dough balls.

• Deep-fry the maakroun in vegetable oil until golden in color.

• Drain well and drop them in the sugar syrup bowl. Toss them in the syrup for at least 1 min.

• Remove them from the sugar syrup. Serve warm or cold