Makroudh
Semolina diamonds filled with a date paste scented with orange and cinnamon, fried and dipped in honey. Kairouan makes the ones people travel for.
Photograph credit: Makroudh - مقروض - Makroud photo1 by Sami Mlouhi · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · this resized copy is shared under the same licence
How to Make Makroudh
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Rub the olive oil into the semolina, salt and cinnamon with your fingers until it looks like damp sand. Leave 20 minutes for the grains to absorb it.
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Add the water and orange blossom water and bring together into a firm dough. Do not knead it — work it just enough to hold.
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Blitz the dates with the 2 tbsp oil, cinnamon, cloves, orange zest and orange blossom water to a smooth, stiff paste.
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Roll a third of the dough into a long strip about 8 cm wide. Lay a rope of date paste down the centre and fold the dough over it, sealing the seam underneath.
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Flatten gently and cut on the diagonal into 4 cm diamonds. Repeat with the rest.
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Heat the frying oil to 170°C / 340°F and fry the diamonds in batches, 4 minutes, turning, until pale gold. Drain briefly.
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Warm the honey in a wide pan and drop the hot pastries in for 40 seconds, turning. Lift onto a rack and scatter with sesame seeds.
Related guide: Prep, cook and total time.
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Tips for Making Makroudh
- Oil into the semolina first, and let it stand. That is the crumb.
- Barely work the dough — kneading makes it tough.
- Hot pastries into warm honey, both hot.
What to Serve with Makroudh
- Mint tea with pine nuts
- Turkish coffee
- Fresh dates
Storing & Reheating Makroudh
An airtight tin for 2 weeks; the crumb softens slightly and the flavour improves. They freeze for 3 months.
Makroudh FAQ: Common Questions
How long does Makroudh take to make?
40 minutes of preparation and 25 minutes of cooking, plus 20 minutes of standing, so allow 1 hour 25 minutes from start to finish. The recipe serves 12.
Makroudh Nutrition
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central figures (SR Legacy). A calculation, not a laboratory analysis: brands, cuts and how you measure change the real numbers. How the figures are worked out.
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Compiled by Turab
Checked by script for timings, diet labels and nutrition arithmetic. How the recipes are checked. Found a mistake? Tell us.
First published ; last changed .