Choco-Nut Imqaret
Delicious deep-fried date pastries that are crisp on the outside and sweetly spiced inside with a little chocolate & nut ‘cheat’
Ingredients: (for around 20 pieces)
FIlling:
250g Pitted Dates (tamal taċ-ċappa)
1 Orange (zest + juice)
½ tsp Mixed Spice
1/4tsp Ground Cloves
1tsp Aniseeds
1 tbsp Orange Blossom Water (ilma zahar)
1 tbsp Sugar (optional, depending on the sweetness of dates)
60ml water (or more as needed)
Pastry:
300g plain flour
1tbsp Sugar
A Pinch of Salt
Water (enough to form a firm dough)
100g Crushed Nuts
Vegetable or Sunflower Oil for Frying
Method:
In a small saucepan, combine the dates, orange zest and juice, cloves, mixed spice, orange blossom water, sugar, and a little water.
Cook over low heat, stirring, until it forms a soft, sticky paste. Allow to cool completely.
While it cools down, let’s make the pastry. In a bowl, or kitchen mixer, mix the flour, sugar, and salt.
Rub in the margarine until it resembles breadcrumbs.
Gradually add water until a firm, smooth dough forms.
Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Roll the dough into a rectangle about 3mm thick.
Place the date mixture in a piping bag and pipe a log along one side of the dough.
Fold the dough over the filling.
Cut into rectangular or diamond pieces.
Heat oil in a deep pan (about 170°C).
Fry the imqaret in batches until golden brown (1–2 minutes per side).
Drain on paper towels and allow them to cool off completely.
Melt the chocolate and dip one side of the imqaret in chocolate, let the access drip off.
Pass them through the crushed nuts and let them set onto parchment paper.
If preferred, these can also be baked instead of deep-frying.
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