Mabroushe "tart with jam"

Mabroushe is a recipe made of a light pastry topped with a thick layer of apricot jam then decorated with shredded pastry which gives it a beautiful form. The name mabroushe means shredded regardless to the way this dessert is made.

You can substitute the apricot jam with strawberry, raspberry or any jam you desire and it will still taste absolutely delicious. My preferable one is apricot, I like the lemony taste in it. You can’t resist the wonderful and heavenly aroma that flows all over the kitchen while baking this dessert. Mabroushe takes me back many years ago to my mom’s kitchen where we recognize it from its distinctive lemony smell. Until today my grandchildren ask me for these delicious apricot cookies which they enjoy with a cup of milk.

Prep. Time: 20 mins

Cooking time: 30 mins

Serves: 8 to 10

INGREDIENTS:

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Zest of a lemon

1 cup Butter

4 to 4 and 1/2 cups of flour

1/2 tsp baking powder for mushier taste if desired (I prefer it crispy)

1 cup apricot jam or any jam

PREPARATION: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium pot melt the butter over low heat, add the sugar and the lemon zest. In a bowl mix the eggs well with the vanilla then combine both mixture together. Add the flour then knead all the ingredients together until you have a dough. (My family and I prefer it crispy without baking powder.) Grease an oven pan with a diameter of 26 cm or a rectangle pan 20 by 30 cm. Flatten 2/3 of the dough with your hands pressing it all until you cover the bottom of the pan. Add the jam and spread it covering the dough then shred the rest of the dough all over the jam as you are shredding cheese.

Bake for 30 to 35 mins, you might need few more mins from the grill side until it is dark golden. Let it cool then cut into diamond or square shape bars or pieces.

Mabroushe is very easy to make and is an amazing dessert for an afternoon cup of coffee or tea. Give it a try and you won’t regret.

Bon Apetit !!