Mamoul

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Auntie May is my Armenian aunt married to my Italian uncle who has since passed away. She introduced me to Armenian cuisine at an early age. I especially remember these date-filled cookies she used to make and I have not had them in years. I remember her as a great cook skilled in both Italian and Armenian cuisine. She was kind enough to provide this recipe when asked. (Jayne Sahagian)

Mamoul

Dough
1/4 C Milk
3/4 C (1 1/2 Sticks unsalted butter
3/4 C Sugar
1 Egg
1/2 Tsp. B.S.
3 1/2 C Flour
1/2 tps. Salt
Confectioners' sugar (for sprinkling)

Date Filling
1 package (8 ounces) pitted dates, snipped into small pieces
1/2 C ground walnuts
1 T Sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

In a small bowl, combine the dates, walnuts sugar, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Stir thoroughly and set the mixture aside.
Set the oven at 350 degrees. LIghtly grease 2 cookie sheets.
To shape the cookies with a mold: Dust the inside of the mold with flour and tap out the excess. Roll a heaping teaspoon of dough into a ball in the palm of your hand. Place it in the indentation in the wooden mold. Press firmly. Fill it with a teaspoon of the filling. Cover the filling with 1/2 teaspoon more of the dough, smoothing it over the filling. Remove the cookie from the mold by knocking it against the counter top or against the palm of your hand. Set the cookie flat side down , on the cookie sheet.; Continue shaping until all the dough and filling are used.

To shape the cookies without a mold: Roll a heaping teaspoon of the dough into a ball and make a large indentation in the center. Press a teaspoon of the filling into the indentation, then gently press the dough around the filling to enclose it. Set the cookie, seam side down, on the cookie sheet. Continue shaping until all the dough and filling are used.

Transfer the cookies sheets to the hot oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, switching position of the baking sheets from top to bottom, or until the Mamouls are golden brown. Remove them from the sheets and let them cook on racks. Dust them with confectioners' sugar before serving.

Makes about 32 cookies.