Marouk

If you walk into any bakery in Damascus in the morning, you will be enchanted by the smell of “Marouk” _these beautiful date filled bread rings still warm out of the oven. Freshly baked bread alone smells wonderful but it is the added cloud of spices that makes the scent irresistible. This sweet bread is flavored with mahleb, fennel, aniseed, and cumin, topped with sesame seeds and black seeds.

Marouk is quite popular all year long, but it is especially famous during Ramadan.

 

For the dough

1- 4 and 1/2 cups flour

2- 1/2 teaspoon mahleb

3- 1 tablespoon instant yeast

4- 1/2 cup sugar

5- 1/3 cup melted butter

6- 1/4 cup yogurt

7- 1/4 teaspoon salt

8- 1/2 cup warm milk

9- 1/2 cup warm water

10- 2 eggs

11- 1 teaspoon fennel

12- 1 teaspoon vanilla

 

The date filling

1- 500 grams pitted dates

2- 2 tablespoons melted butter

3- 1 teaspoon Cardamom

4- 1 tablespoon Cinnamon 

5- 1/2 teaspoon aniseed

1 Egg for Brushing the top of dough

 

Prepare the date filling:

Simply knead the date puree with the butter and spices

 

Prepare the dough:

1- In the bowl of your mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a regular bowl) add 4 cups of the flour (leave the remaining 1/2 cup on the side)

2- Add the sugar, yeast and mahleb to the flour

3- Turn the mixer on and add the butter.

4- Mix until the butter is completely blended into the flour

5- Add the yogurt, fennel and vanilla and mix, again until it is completely taken up by the flour mix

6- Add the eggs, one at a time and mix until they are fully incorporated.

7- Add the milk and water and knead the dough for 5 minutes.

8- If the dough is too sticky, add the remaining half cup of flour and knead for 5 more minutes.

9- The dough should be smooth and you need a total kneading time of 10 minutes.

10- Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover it with cling film or a wet towel and allow it to rise in a warm place until it doubles in size

11- Gently deflate the dough by pressing on it with the palm of your hand.

Allow it to rest for 15 minutes

 

To make the date bread rings:

– Divide the dough into 7 parts

– Roll out each part into a semi-rectangle on a lightly floured surface

– Roll a part of the date filling to form a robe that is as long as the long side of your rectangle

– Place the date filling on the dough and roll the dough around it

– Join the two edges of the tube to form a circle or ring, pinch the edges together

– Using a knife, make 2 cm cuts all around the dough ring

– Brush the dough rings with the egg

– Sprinkle with sesame seeds

– Allow to rest for 10 minutes

Bake on the middle rack of a 200 C oven until the bottoms are golden brown.

Turn on the broiler until the tops are golden brown.

 

Lara Kh.