Arabic Brioches With Dates
Soft, Aromatic, and Irresistible: Arabic Brioches with Dates
There is nothing quite like the smell of fresh bread baking, especially when it is infused with the unique, nutty aroma of Mahlab and sweet dates. These Arabic Brioches with Dates (often reminiscent of Ka'ak or Maarouk) are the ultimate comfort food.
On ZeinaCooks.com, we are taking traditional flavors and wrapping them in a pillowy, cloud-like dough. This recipe features a buttery yeast dough enriched with milk and milk powder for extra softness. The star, however, is the filling: a generous log of sweet date paste, elevated with a splash of rose water and wrapped in a beautiful, sesame-crusted ring.
Serve them warm for a cozy breakfast or alongside a glass of tea in the afternoon. One thing is guaranteed, they will disappear quickly!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
The Perfect Texture: Thanks to the stand-mixer method and the addition of vinegar and milk powder, this dough remains soft, elastic, and stays fresh longer.
Authentic Middle Eastern Flavors: We use Ground Mahlab (an aromatic spice made from cherry stones) in the dough and Rose Water with the dates to give these brioches their signature nostalgic taste.
Beautiful Presentation: The "ring and cut" shaping method looks professional but is actually very easy to achieve.
Versatile: These are not overly sweet on their own, making them perfect for dipping in coffee or tea.
[Makes 12 breads.]
Ingredients:
For the Dough:
500–600 g all-purpose flour
1 tbsp milk powder
1.5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground mahlab
1 tbsp yeast
360 ml milk
115 g butter
1 tsp vegetable oil
3 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg (room temperature)
1 tsp white vinegar
Sesame seeds (raw or roasted) for topping
For the Filling:
500 g date paste
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp rose water
For the Wash:
Milk, or cream, or egg
Method:
1.
Prepare the Dry Mix: Into the bowl of your stand-mixer #Ad fitted with the hook attachment, sift 500 g flour, milk powder, baking powder, and mahlab. Mix in the yeast.
2.
Heat the Liquids: In a small saucepan, stirring constantly, heat the milk, butter, sugar, and salt just till warm (about 49 °C) and the butter is almost melted.
3.
Combine: After making sure the milk mixture is not too hot, gradually pour it into the flour mixture with the mixer on low speed, and beat until combined.
4.
Add Egg & Knead: On low speed, add the egg and vinegar. Increase to medium-high speed and knead for 3 minutes.
5.
Adjust Texture: Add in more flour as needed (from the remaining 100g). Knead on 2nd speed for about 5 minutes, until you have a soft dough that is smooth and elastic but not sticky.
6.
1st Rise: Let the dough rise in a lightly greased bowl until doubled.
7.
Prepare Filling: In the meantime, mix the date paste, 2 tbsp butter, and 1 tbsp rose water together well until combined and smooth.
8.
Shape: Deflate the dough gently. Divide both the dough and the filling into 12 pieces each. Form the dough into balls and let them rest for 10 minutes.
9.
Fill & Roll: Roll out a ball of dough into an oval or rectangular leaf (about 0.5 cm thickness). Form a piece of filling into a log the length of the dough leaf and place it on the edge. Roll the dough over the filling to create a log and seal the seam.
10.
Form Rings: Bring the ends of the log together to form a ring and seal tightly. Using a knife or scissors, make cuts around the outer edge of the ring.
11.
2nd Rise: Place the breads on 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Cover and let rest for about 30 minutes (💡 this is important to achieve a pillowy texture).
12.
Bake: Preheat your oven. Brush the brioches with your choice of milk, cream, or egg, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Fan Oven: Bake at 160 °C (if using 2 pans at once).
Standard Oven: Bake at 180 °C (1 pan at a time).
Bake for about 16–20 minutes or until the top and bottom are beautifully browned.
13.
Cool: Allow to cool 5 minutes before transferring from the baking sheets; Serve warm.
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by Zeina Haddad
