"Easy Baking"

Cookbook Author and Cooking Instructor Kay Karim

http://www.iraqifamilycookbook.com
Email: iraqicookbook@gmail.com

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Baklava

Ingredients:
1)   1 pound Walnuts
2)   2/3 cup Sugar
3)   1 teaspoon Cardamom or Cinnamon
4)   1 pound sweet Butter
5)   1 package Filo/Phyllo Dough
6)   1 cup Honey

Preparation:
1)   Put the walnuts in the food processor and pulse a few times. Add sugar
       and cardamom and put aside.
2)   Melt butter in the microwave or on top of the stove.
3)   Open the filo dough, brush each sheet with butter, and layer the sheets
       on a jellyroll tray. Place 8 sheets in the bottom.
4)   Spread the walnut mixture, and top it with 12 more layers of filo, buttering
       each layer.
5)   Cut in diamond shapes.
6)   Bake in a 350-degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
7)   Drizzle honey over it as soon as you take it out of the oven.
8)   Separate the pieces using a knife. Arrange them on a plate or in a plastic
       container. You can refrigerate it or freeze it, too.

Ingredients:
1)   2 cups unsweetened Coconut
2)   2 large Egg Whites
3)   1/2 cup granulated Sugar
4)   1 teaspoon ground Cardamom
5)   1 tablespoon Cornstarch or Flour
6)   ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
7)   2 teaspoons Rosewater

Preparation:
1)   Put the coconut in a bowl. Add flour, baking powder and cardamom
       and stir.
2)   In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites and add sugar and beat for 2
       minutes. Add the rosewater to the egg mixture. Pour over the coconut
       and mix by hand. Shape into a walnut size balls, or scoop the coconut
       with a medium size ice cream scoop.
3)   Line a pan with parchment paper or silicone sheet. Arrange the macaroons
       on the paper.
4)   Bake for 15 to 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
5)   Remove the pan from the oven and leave the macaroons to cool for 10
       minutes.

Ingredients:
1)   1 cup Sugar
2)   2 sticks Butter (1 cup)
3)   2 cup and 2 tablespoons all purpose Flour
4)   ½ teaspoon Salt
5)   1 teaspoon ground Cardamom
6)   ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
7)   Blanched Almonds for decoration (see recipe below)

Preparation:
1)   Whip the butter and sugar and set aside.
2)   In another bowl combine all the dry ingredients.
3)   Add the flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture.
4)   Mix well using your hand or a wooden spoon.
5)   Take a walnut size of the dough. Roll it in your hand, and press it flat.
6)   Put a slivered almond on each cookie.
7)   Arrange these cookies in a pan lined with parchment paper.
8)   Bake in 350 degrees oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

Variations:
1)   Roll the cookie dough in ground pistachios or sesame seeds.
2)   Press it flat and place it on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Blanched Almonds
Ingredients:
1)   1 cup raw Almonds.
2)   1 cup Water
3)   1 tsp. Baking Soda

Preparation:
1)   Put the raw almonds in a glass bowl.
2)   Add the water and baking soda.
3)   Place in the microwave oven for 5 minutes.
4)   Remove the bowl and drain the almonds in a colander.
5)    Rub the almonds in your hands to remove the skin.
6)   Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and bake in a 300 degree oven
       for 8 minutes to dry, or leave them on a tray on the kitchen counter
       for 3 days to dry before storing.

Ingredients:
1)   13 oz. soft pitted Dates or Majdool
2)   ½ cup chopped Walnuts
3)   1 cup toasted Sesame Seeds - divided
4)   1 tablespoon Tahini (Sesame Paste)
5)   1 teaspoon ground Cardamom or Cinnamon
6)   1 cup shredded Unsweetened Coconut for rolling.

Preparation:
1)   Put the dates in a bowl and microwave them for 30 seconds to soften
       them.
2)   Add ½ cup sesame seeds, tahini, walnuts and ground cardamom and
       mix by hand or use a wooden spoon to make soft paste.
3)   Take a small ball of the mixture and roll it in your hands.
4)   Drop the date ball in a bowl of toasted sesame or shredded coconuts
       and roll it.
5)   Note: You find pitted pressed dates in Middle Eastern grocery stores.
6)   Use them within 2 weeks, or store them in a plastic container.

Good Eating!!!