Cooking from "Jerusalem: A Cookbook"

[ProfessionalHobbit]

Here are pix for the muhallabieh (pages 274-275):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A note of caution - the mixture thickens very quickly; attention to detail is key.

 

The pic in the book looks enticing but having made it, I wasn't as much of a fan as I thought I would have been. Texture is similar to Jello chocolate pudding and a faint milky taste. In retrospect, I could have been eating milk-flavored library paste, it was that boring.

 

We have about 4-5 tbsp. of bay syrup in the fridge that'll get spooned over some Oroblanco grapefruit salad this weekend. THAT part will get made again.

[blue_dolphin]

Tahini Cookies from Ottolenghi's Jerusalem. Not too sweet, sort of a tahini shortbread cookie. 

My deviations: Most obviously, I used a cookie press instead of rolling balls and flattening with a fork. I substituted an egg for 3 of the 5 tablespoons of cream because all my pressed cookie recipes have an egg & I thought it might help them hold together. I added 1/4 t toasted sesame oil because my tahini seemed quite mild. Finally, I added the cinnamon to the dough instead of sprinkling it on top. I did sprinkle some of them with a bit of turbinado sugar but most of it fell off anyway. 

A bit overbaked because I wasn't paying attention but still edible. 

[cakewalk]

Making the tahina cookies in the press was a great idea. I also add toasted sesame oil to tahini confections, it brings them over the top. Also I find that they usually have too much butter in them, which tends to minimize the flavor of the tahini. I periodically play around with tahini cookie recipes, and I've found that they taste better when they're a bit overbaked.