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Golden Cloud Kleicha
Spring has sprung and Golden Cloud is giving us the best of global spring high teas! This week we are exploring the deep and fresh flavours of Middle Eastern cuisine. In today’s Golden Cloud high tea masterclass, we are making Kleicha, these Iraqi date cookies are filled with a wonderfully aromatic cardamom date paste.
Serves: 6-8
Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Recipe by: Thando Manyoni
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups Golden Cloud Cake Flour
½ tsp ground cardamom
½ cup butter, melted
1 tsp active dry yeast
2 tsp castor sugar
1 tsp salt
¼ cup milk
Egg wash:
1 egg
2 tbsp milk
For filling:
1 cup pitted dates
½ tsp ground cardamom
½ tbsp vegetable oil
3 tbsp water
Hibiscus tea:
1L water
¼ cup dried hibiscus flowers
½ cinnamon stick
1 tsp allspice berries
Lime slices for garnish
Honey to sweeten
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180C and prepare a baking sheet.
Mix together the flour, salt, yeast, sugar and cardamom. Add the melted butter and mix until you get a rough paste.
Mix in the milk- it should become soft and smooth. Stir well until incorporated then tip onto a surface and knead a couple of minutes. Place the dough in a bowl, cover and leave to rest for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the filling by placing the dates, cardamom and water to a blender. Blend until smooth.
Transfer the mixture to a pan, add the oil and mix until smooth. Cook on low heat for 2-3 minutes.
Place a layer of parchment paper on your work surface. Tip the dough onto the paper and roll the dough into a 28cm square. Place the date filling on the dough and spread all over, leaving a small strip without any on two ends.
Roll from one of the ends to form a roll. Roll around the dough to smooth out the exterior surface.
Using the serrated knife, carefully cut the roll into 2-3cm slices. Transfer onto the baking sheet, standing seal slide down.
Whisk together the egg wash and brush over the rolls. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
In the meantime, make the tea, pour the water into a saucepan and add the cinnamon, ginger, all spice, and bring to a boil.
Remove from the heat and stir in the dried hibiscus flowers. Cover and allow to sit.
Strain the mixture. Pour into cups and sweeten with honey, top with slice of lemon.
Serve the kleicha warm.
Chefs Tip:
- The Golden Cloud cake wheat flour is versatile & perfect for almost any baking recipe!
- Golden Cloud’s cake flour makes for a cookie texture, the softness of the flour will be your secret key to the perfect crumb!