Ka'ek Hal'a... Eid date cookies كعك الحلق او الكعك المصري

Eid is a couple of days away, so is my nieces wedding ...exciting times indeed with all family members from around the world, US, Canada, KSA, UAE here in Amman. Lots of family gatherings and Iftar meals...a true spirit of Ramadan...it will be missed. Not that I am complaining...hahaha...a little peace and quite is highly missed as well and I am so looking forward to going back to work again. I miss this blog, we are preparing for the next issue of DARNA magazine so a lot is going on and I need to gather my focus and well...FOCUS!!!

So did you make Ma'moul or Ka'ek (Eid date and nuts cookies)? These very special cookies are made from either Semolina, or flour, or a mix of both. They are filled with either dates, pistachios, walnuts or even chocolate, apricots or Turkish delight as a new twist.  If you still haven't done your batch yet, you can try out my recipes here on the blog for Semoline Ka'ek 


These lovely date goodies are usually made with special molds usually and originally wooden ones, now a days you can find plastic ones with different designs.
For me, Eid is about these memories making these specialties with my mom and late grand mother. The smell of the baking is phenomenal and usually you can smell it as you walk into a building..then you know that some Ka'ek is prepared.

If you prefer making this with flour only...here is my recipe on Sayidaty.net for my flour ka'ek.



This post, I will be sharing another form of Ka'ek which is called "Ka'ek Masri or Hala'a" it looks like this


I recall my grandmother making only these for Eid...they where made off of Semolina and olive oil. They where good but now I don't think they where the best....hehehe..Sorry grandma but I think Ghee or butter do a much better job when it comes to the texture and taste; this is my personal experience and I am not judging but this is how I think of the old recipe. So here is my twist on it as I added flour and some semolina to get a chewy and tender Ka'ek Hala'a compared to the older version.

Ka'ek Hala'a (Masri Ka'ek)
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup semolina
1/2 cup butter or ghee, melted
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 Tbsp Ka'ek spice (you can substitute with ground fennel and anise)
1 tsp ground Mehlab (a Middle Eastern special spice that is used in many Arabic desserts)
3 Tbsp powdered milk
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup warm water (you might need more or less depending on the weather and the kind of flour and semolina you are using)
Filling:
750 grams of pitted and ground dates
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
2 Tbsp butter, room temp to knead the dates.

Directions:
To knead the dates, you need to mix all ingredients together until you have a nice smooth paste. Start making it into strands or ropes as it will be the filling of the ka'ek.
To make the dough, mix flour and semolina. Add butter and oil while warm and mix well with your hands. Add the rest of your ingredients except for the water. Start adding the water gradually until you have a nice smooth dough. Cover and start working in batches.

To make the shaped cookie, take a small amount of dough and roll into a small rope. Using the tips of your fingers, make a channel in the middle of the rope. Add a dates rope. Roll the dough around the dates so they won't be visible. Roll again into rope and make a circle over lapping one side on top of the other and press the ends together with an indentation with your pinkie.
Here are some photos to explain


Bake Ka'ek in a preheated oven at 200 c till golden in color. Let them cool in the pan till warm before moving them out.
These keep very well for a long time in an air tight container.
This beautiful dish is from SDH...how lovely!!




قرب العيد وكل سنة وانتو سالمين وبالرغم من رغبتي باني اشارككم الوصفات قبل بوقت الا انه الوقت سرقني فعذرا بس وصفة الكعك المصري او الحلق زي ما تعودنا نسميها سهلة وسريعة وبتنعمل بنفس اللحظة...لا فيها بس ولا غيره لانه اغلبها طحين؟؟؟ فاذا شاطرين بتعملوها ...ههههه لسة في وقت...طبعا ستي الله يرحمها كانت تعمله بزيت الزيتون والسميد صافي بس بكذب اذا بقول اني كنت احبه كثير....الكل كان يمدح فيه بس انا ما كنت شايفة هاد الجانب عشان هيك حسيت بانه الافضل انه ينعمل بزبدة او سمنة وفعلا الطعم بيفرق مع كل احترامي لستي ولزيت الزيتون وانه اغلبه طحين ساعد باختصار الوقت وكمان الطعم فيه قرشة لانه في شوية سميد

كعك الحلق (المصري)
المقادير:
1/2 2 كوب طحين
1/2 كوب سميد ناعم
1/2 كوب زبدة مذابة او سمنة ويفضل نوع سمنة حيوانية
3/4 كوب زيت نباتي
2 ملعقة طعام مسطحة كلفة كعك وممكن استبدالها بشومر ويانسون مطحون 
ملعقة صغيرة محلب
2 ملعقة صغيرة بيكنج باودر
كوب ماء فاتر للعجن

لحشوة التمر:
750 غم تمر معجون
1/2 1 ملعقة صغيرة قرفة
1/2 ملعقة صغيرة هيل مطحون
2 ملعقة طعام زبدة

الطريقة:
خطوات تشكيل الكعك بالاعلى بالصور
تحضر الحشوة بعجن المواد معا وتشكيل حبال من التمر
تحضر العجينة بخلط المواد معا ما عدا الماء وفرك السمن والزيت بالمواد الجافة ثم يضاف الماء الدافئ بالتدريج لنحصل على عجينة طرية ومتماسكة (في حال البدء بالتشكيل ووجدت انها لا تتشكل وتتقطع اضيفي القليل من الماء 
رتبي الكعك بالصينية واخبزيه على حرارة عالية بفرن حامي ليصبح ذهبي واشوي الوجه قليلا> اتركيه يبرد على الصينية ويرتب باوعية محكمة الاغلاق بعد ان يبرد.
وكل عام وانتم بخير





Comments

  1. Wow hope you have a great time with all the exciting things ahead!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Tania for your kind wishes....I am sorry this gave you a hard time due to the language issue...thanks for stopping by :)

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  2. Ok, now I found out how to comment! This looks different than last time. These cookies look like they need to be in my mouth, asap!

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    Replies
    1. Sorry Wgitney, I think it's the language part... Glad you finally could comment... These cookies just melt in your mouth... I truly wish you can taste them :) thanks for stopping by

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  3. Love the date filling and the step by step photos, makes following this recipe so much easier!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Katalina, I am glad the photos make these look easy to make as they actually are :) thank you for stopping by

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  4. Since I was born and grew up in the Middle East, I have always enjoyed eating lovely Eid delicacies and mamoul was one of them. I do make mamoul myself now but this recipe of Ka'ek I shall be making next :)
    Jazak'Allah Khair for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Madiha...I would love to hear your views if you ended up trying it...it is so easy and delicious...

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