This is such a nostalgic recipe for me. I grew up having it every weekend when my mother would make a big batch and take it to my great-grandparents’ home. We’d gather around with good food, good company, and those warm, wholesome moments that stay with you forever. Many of the loved ones I used to share this dessert with are no longer with us, and baking it now is both bitter and sweet. But somehow, it always brings me peace. It feels like a quiet moment of connection with them. In my dialect, we call it ”Faux Maamoul” a twist on the traditional Middle Eastern dessert. But instead of the classic date filling, this one is stuffed with chocolate. It is crumbely,soft and delicate when you bite into the cookie and the filling is so smooth and warm, with a rich intense flavor. Every chocolate lover will have too many servings of this one.
I genuinely believe that most recipes are beginner’s friendly, however some require more concentration and attention to details then others. For this one i would say it is is pretty straightforward but can easily be missed if you did not pay attention to few key points:
1- Filling consistency: Your filling is really important, you should be able to form balls that are not too hard that they do not melt and give us that gewiness, nor are too soft they can’t be worked with. Leaving the filling in the fridge for a long time can help with consistency.
2- Filling size: This is how i went wrong the first time i did these, everyone has a different mold size so to ensure your cookies do not burst in the oven i recommend you do a trial with different filling ball sizes to ensure you get the right amount of filling where it is generous and not just a dot of chocolate but at the same time not too generous you end up with empty cookies, because half of the filling would be on your pan like mine did, sigh…
3- Freeze before baking: This is a great tip to help with maintaining the pattern of the butter cookies and maybe slowing down the melting process of the filling to avoid any…dramatic bursts, just pop it in the freezer for 15 min before you bake them and you should be all good
4- Keep an eye out when baking: You know how moms do not use timers and they just know when the food is ready to be taken out of the oven. Well we are not them so clock in, ovens are different and you oven might cook faster then mine so our 15 min do not look alike, always monitor your cookies and once 10 min passes you can start opening the oven to check if it is golden from under. Once that happens try to turn on your upper heater for only couple of minutes this tool is very effective so if you leave it for way too long you will end up with toasted cookies, if that is what you are aiming for then go for it by all means we listen and we do not judge….ahm..anyways, that should be it if anything else came to mind i will update this hopefully nothing important. I hope you get to make it please share with me if you did that will literally make my day !!
30
servings1
hour15
min185,7
kcal250g (around 2 sticks) Butter
120g Cornstartch
100g Icing sugar
600g Flour
2 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1 tsp Baking powder
80 ml Milk
65g Sugar
50g Butter
50g chocolate
26g Icing sugar
3 Tbsp Cocoa powder
In a large bowl, soften the butter using a spoon or spatula until it becomes a paste-like consistency. Add the cornstarch and mix until incorporated. Mix in the icing sugar, then the eggs, whisking until the mixture becomes smooth and homogeneous.
Add the vanilla extract, then gradually incorporate the flour and baking powder, one cup at a time. Mix gently using a spoon or your hand, but do not knead just fold the dough together until it starts to become firmer
In a small saucepan, add the milk, sugar, and cocoa powder. Bring it to a gentle boil while stirring constantly. Once it starts to thicken slightly, remove from heat and add the butter and chocolate. Stir until everything melts and is well combined.
Add sifted Icing sugar gradually until you get a thicker consistency. Let the mixture cool completely, then place it in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up. We need to get a pliable consistency. You want it thick enough to form small balls, so adjust the icing sugar quantity as needed.
Take about 25g of cookie dough and flatten it slightly in your hand. Place about 5g of chocolate filling in the center (adjust based on your mold size). Be careful not to use too much filling, or it might burst in the oven.
Close the dough around the filling to form a ball, sealing the edges well and Press the ball gently into your cookie mold to shape it. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
Place the cookies on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the bottom is lightly golden and the top is fully cooked but still pale. Enjoy !