SHIRINI MORABAII
 
 
Baking time: 10-14 minutes each batch
Temperature: 350 F, center rack
Yields: 4 dozens+ cookies
You will need: 2 large baking sheets (12 x 17 inches). A 10 or 12-inch piping bag, fitted with a ½-inch star tip (Wilton 1M).
Author:
Recipe type: Cookies/Desserts/Pastries
Cuisine: Persian
Ingredients
  • Dough:
  • 1 cup (8 ounces, or 2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
  • ⅓ tsp vanilla powder, or 1 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp rose water
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • Filling and topping:
  • ¼ cup unsalted pistachios
  • ½ cup apricot preserves
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F, center rack.
  2. Prepare and set aside: Leave the butter and egg yolks on the counter for at least 30 minutes (covered)* Sift the flour with salt* Finely chop the pistachios* Blend the apricot preserves until smooth and without any fruit pieces.
  3. Lightly grease two large baking sheets by rubbing a cold piece of butter on the entire surface. you will be baking one baking sheet at a time.
  4. Add one cup softened butter to the bowl of your stand mixer (or use your hand mixer). Using a paddle attachment beat the softened butter on medium speed (#6 on KitchenAid) until smooth. If the butter is soft enough this should take less than 1 minute. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
  5. Add ½ cup sugar and beat on low speed until blended, then beat on medium high for 2 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the egg yolks, rosewater, vanilla powder (or vanilla extract) and beat until blended.
  6. Add the sifted flour/salt mixture; beat on low speed until incorporated, then beat on medium until you have a smooth dough. Do not overbeat!
  7. Fill the prepared pastry bag halfway with the dough; gently press the dough and move it towards the tip to release any air pockets (‘burp’ the bag). Twist the opening of the pastry bag and pipe couple of practice rosettes on a plate; this eliminates the air pockets and gives you an idea about the shape and size of your piped rosette. Return the practice rosettes to the bowl of batter.
  8. To pipe rosettes: With gentle pressure at the top of the pastry bag pipe out a simple star, then continue squeezing and piping out a complete 1½-inch circle that ends at the center of the star. Leave 1 to 1 ½-inch space between each rosette and pipe as many as you can fit on one baking sheet (about 25-30).
  9. Prepare the rosettes for baking: Touch the dough with one finger, dip it in the chopped pistachio and press it in the center of the rosette, continue dipping your finger in the pistachio every time you make an indentation in the rest of the rosettes. Next, sprinkle extra pistachios on top. Then add ¼ teaspoonful of apricot jam in the center of each rosette. I find it’s more efficient to do each of these steps on all of the rosettes, before moving on to the next step.
  10. When you're done with adding the jam in the center of the dough, place the cookie sheet on the center rack and bake for 10-14 minutes. Start piping the rosettes for the second cookie sheet. The bake time is going to depend on your oven and the size of your cookies. Look for the edges to turn a light golden brown. Remove the baking sheet from the oven.
  11. Use a flexible thin spatula to transfer one of the cookies to a cooling rack. If the bottom is also a light golden brown, transfer all of the cookies to the baking rack. If the bottom is still pale, return the baking sheet back to the oven and bake for another 2-3 minutes. Watch them closely; they burn quickly at this point.
  12. Enjoy these delicate buttery Shirini Morabaii on your special occasions with a glass of fresh brewed Persian black tea.
Notes
To freeze Shirini Morabaii: These cookies freeze very well for up to 2 months in an airtight container. Line the container with a large cling wrap and allow several inches of extra wrap to hang on the sides. Arrange the cookies in a single layer, then line with parchment paper and continue layering until done. Cover the top of the cookies with parchment paper. Fold the sides of the cling wrap over the parchment paper securely; close the lid and freeze.
This recipe has been adapted from here.
Recipe by Persian Mama at https://persianmama.com/shirini-morabaii/