This recipe is for Helou Mishmosh, which are candied apricots with pistachios. It involves the following steps:
1. Steaming dried apricots to soften them, then processing them into a smooth paste.
2. Combining the apricot paste with pistachios and a fragrant syrup made from sugar, lemon juice, and orange blossom water.
3. Bringing the mixture to a boil then simmering it to form a thick paste, which is spread into a baking sheet to dry for a week before being cut into diamond shapes.
Original Description:
Traditional Syrian Jewish recipes.
Original Title
Recipes from "Aromas of Aleppo" by Poopa Dweck
This recipe is for Helou Mishmosh, which are candied apricots with pistachios. It involves the following steps:
1. Steaming dried apricots to soften them, then processing them into a smooth paste.
2. Combining the apricot paste with pistachios and a fragrant syrup made from sugar, lemon juice, and orange blossom water.
3. Bringing the mixture to a boil then simmering it to form a thick paste, which is spread into a baking sheet to dry for a week before being cut into diamond shapes.
This recipe is for Helou Mishmosh, which are candied apricots with pistachios. It involves the following steps:
1. Steaming dried apricots to soften them, then processing them into a smooth paste.
2. Combining the apricot paste with pistachios and a fragrant syrup made from sugar, lemon juice, and orange blossom water.
3. Bringing the mixture to a boil then simmering it to form a thick paste, which is spread into a baking sheet to dry for a week before being cut into diamond shapes.
1/2 pound pistachios, shelled, blanched, and peeled
3 pounds dried apricots
1 cup cold shira (Fragrant Aleppian Dessert Syrup, recipe below)
1. Using a steamer basket suspended over a pot of boiling water, steam the apricots in batches for 4 to 5 minutes, tossing occasionally to ensure that they are evenly softened.
2. While the apricots are hot, process a few of them at a time in a food processor, pulsing several times, or until they are smooth. Repeat with the remaining apricots.
3. Combine the cold shira and the apricot paste in a medium saucepan. Toss in the pistachios. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the mixture forms a paste.
4. Line the bottom of a 15-1/2 x 10-1/2-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour the mixture into the tray. To dry the apricot paste, leave the tray out, uncovered or lightly covered with foil, for 1 week.
5. Slide a sharp knife along the edges of the tray. Turn out the paste onto a flat cutting surface and cut diagonally to make diamond shapes about 1-1/4 inches wide. These sweets last for 3 to 4 weeks in a candy dish covered with aluminum foil (plastic wrap will make them soggy).
Yield: 3 pounds
Shira - Fragrant Aleppian Dessert Syrup
3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon orange blossom water or rose water
1. Combine the sugar, lemon juice, orange blossom water, and 1 cup water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture boils. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the syrup slides slowly down the back of a spoon.
2. Allow the syrup to cool. Use immediately or pour into a glass jar and refrigerate. It will keep for up to 2 months.
Note: All helou recipes use orange blossom water; rose water is used for other sweets.