Old Fashioned Pillow BiscuitsMakes 16-24 depending on sizeIngredients75g fine semolina
200g plain flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
50g ground almonds
70g caster sugar
100g butter
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
1 egg
about 1 teaspoon rosewater and orange flower water. I used a little less rose water and about ½ teaspoon orange essence
Filling500g dates
50-70g butter, soft
1 teaspoon allspice
PreparationMelt butter and molasses, 50 degrees, speed 2 until melted.
Put semolina, flour, baking powder, salt, almonds, and sugar into a mixing bowl and mix well.
Add this to the melted mix in
. Knead until like breadcrumbs. Doesn't take long.
Add egg, rosewater and orange essence and knead until it begins to come together.
Leave covered 1-2 hours so that the semolina can absorb the moisture.
FillingPlace dates, butter and allspice into
. Mix at speed 6 or 7 until it is combined. You may need the spatula. If it is soft, chill it.
Roll dough out approx. 20cm x 18cm. Cut into ½ lengthways. Place a 1/4 of the date mix down like a sausage roll. Roll dough over it like a sausage roll. Do the same for the rest of the dough and date mix. You will have 4 'snakes' of dough.
Cut each into 4-6 pieces. I did 6..
Bake at 200 degrees for 15-20 minutes. They do catch a bit on the edges as you can see in the photo.
Photo
TweaksThis is based on a Dan Lepard recipe. I have reduced the sugar and butter in the recipe and made a few subtle changes.members' commentsLucyluu - I was a bit dubious about the rose water and orange flower water but they are not as flowery as I thought they would be. I didn't have any pomegranate molasses so I used golden syrup instead. They taste fine. I used a spiced apple filling instead of the dates simply because I had some. Thanks for another lovely recipe cookie.
