Halwa Chebakia: Moroccan Sesame Cookies With Honey

Ingredients

For the Chebakia Dough

• 1 cup sesame seeds, toasted
• 1 pinch mastic gum grains, optional
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 4 cups (510 grams) all-purpose flour, more as needed
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground anise
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled
• 1/8 teaspoon Moroccan yellow colorant, or 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 extra-large egg
• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1/4 cup orange flower water
• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast, dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water

For Frying

• Vegetable oil, for frying
• 5 cups (4 pounds) honey
• 2 tablespoons orange flower water
• 1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
• Steps to Make It
• Make the Chebakia Dough
• Gather the dough ingredients.
  
• Grind the toasted sesame seeds in a food processor until they turn powdery. Keep grinding until the powder becomes moist enough to press or pack.
• Mix the mastic grains, if using, with the sugar and crush it into a powder.
• Combine the mastic-sugar mixture, ground sesame seeds, flour, baking powder, salt, ground anise and cinnamon, saffron, and turmeric in a large bowl.
• Add the egg, butter, oil, vinegar, orange flower water, and dissolved yeast. Mix with your hands to form a dough. Add more flour if necessary to achieve a dough that is rather stiff, but pliable.
• Knead the dough by hand for 7 to 8 minutes or in a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook for 4 to 5 minutes.
• Divide the dough into four portions, shape each into a smooth mound, and place the dough in a plastic bag to rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Take one of the portions of dough, and roll it out on a lightly floured work surface to the thickness of a thin piece of cardboard.
• Use a pastry cutter to cut the dough into rectangles approximately 3 x 3 1/2-inches.
• Make 4 evenly spaced lengthwise cuts in each rectangle. These cuts should be almost the length of the rectangle, but should not cut through to the edges of the dough. The resulting rectangle will have five strips of attached dough.
• Take a rectangle, and thread the middle finger of your right hand through alternating strips of dough. This enables the rectangle to drape over your finger.
• With your left hand, pinch together the outer corners of dough which hang over the tip of your finger. This will form the center of the flower shape.
• While holding the pinched corners with your left hand, allow the strips of dough to slide down off your right finger while gently turning them inside-out around the pinched portion. Gently pinch the opposite corners closed once the dough is turned inside out. If done correctly, you’ll have formed the dough into an elongated flower shape.
• Place the folded piece of dough on a baking sheet or tray. Repeat the process with the remaining rectangles and mounds of dough. Gather together the scraps of dough as you work, mold them together into a mound, and return them to the bag to rest before you try rolling them out again. Use up all of your dough in this manner. Cover the trays of folded dough with a towel until ready to fry.
• Frying the Chebakia
• Gather remaining ingredients.
  
• Heat about 1-inch of oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat to 350 F.
• While the oil heats, add the honey to a large pot over medium-high heat almost to boiling.
• When the honey is frothy but not bubbling, add the orange flower water to the honey and remove from the heat.
• When the oil reaches 350 F, fry the chebakia in batches to not crowd the pan. Adjust the heat as necessary to maintain the temperature. Turn the cookies in the oil to brown evenly until the cookies are golden, about 3 to 4 minutes per batch.
• Soaking the Chebakia in Honey
• As they become done, use a slotted spoon or strainer to transfer the cookies from the oil directly to the hot honey. Gently push down on the chebakia to submerge them in the honey, soaking for 3 to 4 minutes. They’ll turn a rich, glossy amber color as they absorb the honey.
• When the chebakia have finished soaking, remove them from the honey to a strainer or colander, and allow them to drain for a few minutes.
• While hot, transfer the cookies to a large platter or tray, and sprinkle the centers with sesame seeds. Repeat with the remaining cookies.
• Tips
• The chebakia may be made without the mastic gum if you can’t find it.
• Serve chebakia with harira, at iftar for Ramadan, or with tea or coffee.