Mama Amy Kleicha cookies

Kleichas are Iraqi Easter cookies (الكليجة العراقية). What I remember about Kleicha is that my Mama Amy (of Iraqi origin), used to bake those cookies on Easter. I remember the magical smell and taste as the first warm freshly-baked cookie melted in my mouth Everyone has their own recipe, but this is my Mother’s recipe.
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Mama Amy Klecha cookies

45 minutes preparation
30 cookies

INGREDIENTS

3 cups Plain Flour
1/2 cup Castor Sugar
1/2 cup unsalted melted Butter
1/2 cup Vegetable Shortening
1 cup of Water
1 tbsp. Yeast
Pinch of Salt
1 tsp. Nigella Seeds بذور حبة البركة
3 tsp. Mahlab محلب
1 tsp. Powdered Cardamom حب الهال
1 tsp. Grounded Nutmeg جوزة الطيب
1 tsp. crushed mastic gum (crush with a tsp of sugar) مستكه 
3 tbsp. Rose Water ماء االورد
3 tbsp. Orange Blossom Water ماء الزهر
1 beaten Egg to wipe the tops

METHOD

In a small bowl, put the yeast with 1/2 tsp. sugar, in warm water and cover, to rise.

Combine flour, sugar, nigella seeds, mahlab, cardamom, nutmeg, mastic gum, and salt, bring together, then add the melted butter and Crisco vegetable shortening and rub it with your hands.

Add yeast, rose water and orange blossom water. Knead the dough and add more water if needed. It depends on the flour absorption of liquids. Place in a large oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for an hour.

WALNUT FILLING

1 cup walnuts, chopped
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 tsp. Rose Water
2 tsp. Orange Blossom Water

In a bowl, mix the roughly ground walnuts, sugar, cardamom, rose water with orange blossom water and set aside

Take some of the dough and spread it on the work surface with a rolling pin. Cut circles using a cookie cutter or a glass. Put 1 tsp. of the filling in the middle of the circle. Fold in half-moon shape. Crimp the edges. Arrange on a pan. Brush with egg wash and bake for 30-35 minutes in preheated oven 375 until they are golden brown.

DATE FILLING

Use 2 cups dates. On very low heat combine the dates with 3 tbsp. of butter, bring them together to keep it a soft paste, so you can work with it, (don’t overcook, it will harden later inside the cookie when it is baked). Add ground cardamom. Let the mixture cool before using it.

Cover a cutting board with plastic wrap and spread the dates on the board using a rolling pin to make a thin sheet.

Roll dough into a thin layer (about 1/8 inch) into a big square.

Spread the date mixture all over.

Roll it up like a cinnamon roll, but tightly and slice 1-inch pieces.

Lay them on the tray.

Brush top with beaten egg and bake for 30 minutes, on preheated oven 375 until dough is cooked and they are golden brown.

Put the cookies on a cooling rack.

Store them in a cookie container

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