Kahk

I learned this recipe from my Egyptian friend's grandmother, who is a great cook.

Since the dough is not very sweet, it's better to sprinkle on a lot of powdered sugar. 

Kahk without any filling tastes great also. 

Ghee is a butter that is made from milk fat from water-buffalo. I bought it at a wholesale market in Tokyo. Since cardamom has a strong smell, it's best to use it in moderation.

Ingredients

25 servings

360 grams Cake flour

180 grams Ghee

30 grams White toasted sesame seeds

1 Your favorite spices, such as cinnamon, clove, or cardamom

2 tbsp Granulated sugar

10 grams Dry yeast

100 grams Date (or raisins)

1/2 tbsp Ghee

1 tbsp White toasted sesame seeds

1 Powdered sugar

Steps

1. Melt the ghee in a sauce pan. Sift together the cake flour, spices, and granulated sugar.

2. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, and place the roasted white sesame seeds in the middle. Once the ghee is hot, gradually pour it over the sesame seeds.

3. With a rubber spatula, mix the dough without kneading. Adjust the amount of ghee to achieve the right firmness, taking care not to make it too soft.

4. Once the dough is no longer floury and is cool enough to hold in your hands, add the activated yeast as instructed on the package, and knead it into the dough.

5. Knead the dough by hand and bring it together. Let it rise for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

6. Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Blend the dates (or raisins) in a food processor. Add the cinnamon and the sesame seeds.

7. Add the melted ghee and bring it together. Roll the filling into a rope, tear off small amounts, then roll them into balls about 2 cm in diameter.

8. Make the dough from Step 5 into a thick rope, tear off dough pieces, shape them into 5 cm ellipses, then spread them flat with your hands.

9. Place the filling from Step 7 onto the center of the dough, wrap it and roll it out into balls. Gently press on the top of the dough to flatten slightly.

10. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, arrange the dough in rows, then make a pattern on them by pressing down on top with the back of a fork.

11. Bake them in the oven for 25 minutes at 200℃, and when they are done, let them cool. (Freshly baked kahks easily fall apart as the ghee takes time to set.)

12. Kahk (Egyptian Dessert) recipe step 11 photo

  

13. Once they are cool, coat them with a generous amount of powdered sugar.