Type what you have

Ingredients

• ✓ mahleb
• water
• orange flower water
• rose water
• cooking spray
• allspice
• cardamom
• clove
• nutmeg
• cinnamon
• yeast
• black sesame seed
• all-purpose flour
• semolina flour
• water
• white sugar
• butter

Instructions

1. 1 Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in sugar and water; continue stirring to dissolve sugar. Do not boil. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
2. 2 Measure flours into a large bowl. Add melted butter mixture, sesame seeds, yeast, cinnamon, mahleb, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, and allspice; stir slowly for about 10 minutes to thoroughly blend ingredients. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave dough in the bowl to rest for 1 hour.
3. 3 Grease 3 baking sheets with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.
4. 4 Pour rose water and orange flower water into a small bowl. Pour warm water into a second small bowl.
5. 5 Transfer dough to a floured board or work surface. Pull off about 1 cup dough. Dip your fingers in warm water and knead dough for a few minutes; dip dough in flower water and knead again until dough is soft and pliable.
6. 6 Use the palm of your hand to roll dough into a rope 12 inches long and 1 inch in diameter. Cut rope in half and make a wreath-shaped cookie with each piece, pinching the ends together. Place on the prepared baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover cookies with a clean towel and place in the refrigerator, 8 hours to overnight.
7. 7 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Remove baking sheets from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature while the oven preheats.
8. 8 Bake cookies in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

By Arlette Therese Abdallah

Ingredients

• ✓ mahleb
• milk
• butter
• margarine
• sugar
• water
• sugar
• active dry yeast
• egg
• all-purpose flour
• baking powder
• salt
• egg
• sesame seed

Instructions

1. 1 Combine milk, butter, and margarine in a saucepan over medium heat. Heat until butter and margarine are melted, but do not let it boil. Stir in 1 cup of sugar until dissolved, then set aside to cool to lukewarm.
2. 2 Meanwhile, dissolve 2 teaspoons of sugar in warm water in a small bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the surface, and let stand until frothy, about 10 minutes.
3. 3 Crack eggs into a large bowl, and stir a little to break up the yolks. Slowly pour in heated milk mixture while whisking constantly, so as to temper the eggs and not cook them. Add yeast mixture, and stir just until blended.
4. 4 Combine flour, baking powder, mahleb, and salt in a large bowl; make a well in the center, and pour in egg mixture. Stir until it forms a sticky dough. Pour onto a floured surface, and knead in additional flour as needed to make a more substantial dough. Knead for about 10 minutes. Place in an oiled bowl, and set in a warm place to rise for about 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
5. 5 When dough has doubled, punch down again, and let rise until doubled. It will only take about half as long this time.
6. 6 Separate dough into 5 even portions, then separate each of those into thirds. Roll each of those into ropes about 12 inches long. Braid sets of three ropes together, pinching the ends to seal, and tucking them under for a better presentation. Place loaves onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Loaves should be spaced 4 inches apart. Set in a warm place to rise until your finger leaves an impression behind when you poke the loaf gently.
7. 7 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Brush loaves with beaten egg, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
8. 8 Bake in the preheated oven until nicely golden brown all over, about 25 minutes.

By Ani