Sharing Culinary Heritage in the Arab World Kaak el Eid – Holiday Cookies - Kaak Al Abbass -
Contributors/Source: Mhammad Nehme
Country: South Lebanon
Story of the Holiday Cookies According to Mhammad Nehme, these cookies have been known for more than 1,400 years when pilgrims used to travel on camels or on foot for a long journey of several months. These cookies were consumed during these long trips as they had a long shelf-life of two to three months. The cookies are called "Abbass cookies" in attribution to Imam Ali son of Al-Imam Al-Hussein, known as 'Abbass', who used to prepare a flavorful dough. These traditional cookies are prepared in South Lebanon on different occasions and holidays, especially during Eid al-Adha and weddings. Traditionally, the cookies were distributed to the poor, and women use to gather for kneading and baking. Today, Kaak el-Abbass are still taken as provisions during pilgrimages and prepared during holidays, but their preparation is no longer a traditional process as it used to be. Most people today buy them from local bakeries, and only few families still bake at home.
Preparation time: 40 min and a full day for the dough to rest Total Serving: 4 kilos of Kaak
Ingredients:
2 cups plain flour 2 cups dunst flour (or fine semolina) 2 tbsp of cookies’ spices (nutmeg, anise, turmeric, ginger and cinnamon) ½ kilo butter 250 ml vegetable oil 250 ml olive oil 2 kg sugar A dash of vanilla A dash of backing powder 2 tbsp of powdered milk 1 ½ tbsp of yeast Hot water
Preparation steps: 1. Mix the flour and dunst with butter and oil 2. Add the rest of the ingredients 3. Add hot water and knead to obtain a coherent and soft dough (slightly softer than bread dough) 4. Put the dough in a bowl, cover with a damp cloth and leave to rest for 24h 5. Shape the dough into balls then flatten them 6. Use special “kaak stamps” to make the traditional impressions 7. Bake in a pre-heated oven until light golden brown (about 20 - 30 min)