Kahk el Eid: A Long History, a Delicious Recipe and a Dusting of Sugar
By Kenzy Fahmy
Next weekend marks the end of Ramadan and the celebration of Eid el Fitr – Festival of the Breaking of the Fast. For three days, Egyptians gather and feast in their newly bought Eid outfits, munch on deliciously sugary Kahk cookies, and join each other in a special Eid prayer.
Sadly this year, COVID-19 safety restrictions mean we celebrate a little differently. But that doesn’t mean we can’t eat Kahk!
The moon shaped cookies have a surprisingly long history, with recipes and depictions of them going back to Ancient Egypt. In Memphis and Thebes, carvings have been found on temples showing Egyptians preparing the cookies, while in Giza, an ancient recipe was found on the walls of the great pyramid; at the time they were decorated with sun disks and symbols of solar deities.
The name itself is said to be Coptic in origin, and the cookie is traditional during Christmas celebrations in Egypt as well as Eid. As the country went through social, political and cultural changes over the centuries, Kahk has remained an essential staple of Egyptian feasts and festivals, with relatively little change to its preparation in over 3000 years.
Kahk became a traditional part of Eid el Fitr celebrations around the 10th century. There is even folklore about ministers and sultans hiding gold in the cookies and distributing them to the people; Kahk was no longer just a religious symbol, but a social and political tool as well. Until today, the tradition of distributing Kahk to the poor and disadvantaged persists.
Egypt’s love for the sweet, buttery cookie has stood strong for millennia and considering how soft and delicious they are, it’s really no wonder. Whether they’re stuffed with dates, honey, nuts or Turkish delight, plain or sprinkled with a generous dusting of powdered sugar, Kahk is loved by all. And since many of us will be celebrating at home this year, why not try making them yourself; keep reading for a great recipe by Cleobuttera!
FOR THE KAHK:
1 kg (8 cups) all-purpose flour
65g (1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon) powdered sugar, plus extra for coating
1/4 cup (40g) toasted sesame seeds (optional, but highly recommend)
1 1/2 teaspoons (6g) baking powder
1 teaspoon instant yeast (optional)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon (10g) Kahk Essence (Reehet El Kahk)
One 1g packet vanilla powder (or 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract)
600g (2 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons) ghee or clarified butter, at room temperature
160g (2/3 cup) milk, at room temperature
FOR THE AGWA: (ENOUGH TO FILL ABOUT 72 KAHKS)
500g soft, high quality date paste (agwa)
1 tablespoon (12g) ghee clarified butter, or more
2 tablespoons (20g) toasted sesame seeds (optional)
1/4 teaspoon Kahk Essence (Reehet El Kahk) (optional)
TO MAKE THE AGWA:
Knead the Agwa (date paste) with the ghee, sesame seeds and kahk essence, if using until soft and pliable. If you're starting with a stiff date paste, add more ghee as needed, until the agwa is nice and maleable. Using greased hands, roll into small macadamia nut-sized balls. Arrange over parchment lined baking sheets and keep refrigerated until ready to use.
TO MAKE THE KAHK DOUGH:
Prepare all your fillings by rolling them into macadamia nut-sized balls. Arrange over parchment lined baking sheets and keep refrigerated until ready to use.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat the oven to 160C/ 320F.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or in a large bowl and using an electric handmixer, whisk together the flour, powdered sugar, sesame seeds (if using), baking powder, instant yeast (if using), salt, kahk essence and vanilla powder until well combined.
Add the ghee (or clarified butter) and mix on medium-low speed until well blended and the dry ingredients are evenly coated. Raise speed to medium, and continue mixing until the dough turns creamy and paste-like; 1 to 2 minutes.
With the mixer running on low speed, gradually pour in the milk. Continue mixing until a cohesive dough comes together. Do not over mix. To test if the dough is mixed enough, roll an apricot-size piece of dough between your hands, then gently press on it. The dough shouldn't crack. If it cracks, knead the dough for a few more seconds, then repeat the test.
Using a measuring tablespoon or a tablespoon-sized ice cream scoop with a release mechanism, scoop out tablespoons of dough and place on a baking sheet. You should have approximately 135 dough scoops.
Roll each dough into a ball, then (if filling) press the center with your thumb to make an indentation for the filling to sit in. Add in the filling of your choice, then gather the dough up over the filling to completely cover it. Make sure that no filling is peaking out. Roll the filled dough into a smooth ball without any cracks. Arrange the dough balls onto a silicon mat or parchment paper lined baking sheet, leaving an inch of space between each one.
For fun and to be able to distinguish between the different kahk fillings, give them some designs. Press lightly on the dough with a kahk stamper (khattama) or decorate with kahk shaping tweezers (mona'ash), if available. If not, make a cross hatch design using the twines of a fork, or simply press down with your hand and leave plain.
Bake until blonde on top and the bottom takes on a light golden brown color; about 18 to 22 minutes.
Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool COMPLETELY before dusting with powdered sugar, otherwise the sugar will melt on the kahk and make a wet surface. Using a small sieve, dust the kahk with a generous amount of powdered sugar or roll into a bowl full of sugar.
Serve or store in a container. Kahk will keep well at room temperature for weeks and weeks.
Recipe via Cleobuttera