CAIRO — In conjunction with the approach of Eid al-Fitr, Egyptian families begin preparing Eid biscuits, especially after announcing their prices in shops in a way that is not commensurate with the economic situation that casts a shadow on the country.
Biscuits are considered one of the Western baked goods, and its name is due to the Latin language, meaning "baked twice", and it was initially a mixture of flour and water only, and is characterized by hardness and dryness to suit the purpose for which it was used, which is to withstand the harsh conditions of expeditions that last months.
The civilizations of the East contributed to the development of biscuit dough, so the Muslims of the Middle Ages were the first to add sugar to its dough, as sugar production began in the countries of the East and then moved to the West with the Crusades, and thus biscuits became energy-rich food and with a better taste, and the Arab doctor Ibn Batlan recommended eating biscuits stuffed with figs and nuts, according to a report by the British newspaper "The Guardian".
Biscuits with the names of kings
According to the same report, biscuit products have been named after kings and queens throughout history, such as the "Mary" biscuit dating back to 1874, when it was prepared to celebrate the marriage of the Russian Duchess Maria Alexander to Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and one of Queen Victoria's sons, and "Bourbon" biscuits after the royal family that ruled France, as well as "Albert" biscuits after Queen Victoria's husband.
Osborne named one of the most famous biscuits of the nineteenth century, after Queen Victoria's favorite royal home on the Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom, after the Queen refused to put her name on one of the biscuit products.
Eid baked goods are a custom inherited by Egyptians
Biscuits are spread all over the world, and are associated - in Arab countries, including Egypt - with weddings and Eid al-Fitr celebrations.
Recently, the rituals of preparing Eid biscuits have varied, so the housewife has become preparing it alone and may prefer to buy it ready-made, to save time and effort, after all the ladies and daughters of the family used to meet and participate in preparing it and chanting the songs of popular folklore for Eid in an atmosphere full of joy and happiness, while children race to operate the biscuit forming machine and deliver the sheet (a type of rectangular metal dish baked in it) to the oven to bake biscuits, until the smell smells in all streets and lanes.
Whether prepared at home or purchased ready-made, eating biscuits on the morning of Eid al-Fitr with a cup of tea with milk remains one of the customs inherited by Egyptians and cannot be dispensed with, and in this report we offer you how to prepare two types of biscuits from the most widespread in Egypt in a simple and inexpensive way.
Biscuits are spread all over the world and are associated in the Arab countries with weddings and Eid al-Fitr celebrations (Getty Images)
Local ammonia biscuits
Preferred by the residents of Upper Egypt in Egypt, it is a crisp and light biscuit in the form of medium-sized longitudinal fingers, which withstand transportation from one place to another maintaining its texture and cohesion, as well as storage for more than a month.
Ingredients
- Half a kilogram of sifted flour.
- Half a teaspoon of baking powder.
- Two eggs.
- Three-quarters cup caster sugar.
- A teaspoon vanilla.
- 1/2 cup oil.
- A tablespoon of ammonia.
- 1/4 cup milk.
- Pinch of salt.
- A quarter teaspoon of biscuit flavors (coconut or banana flavor).
Directions
Put the sifted flour in a bowl with the addition of baking powder and a light pinch of salt. Break the eggs in another dish with the addition of caster sugar and vanilla.
Whisk the mixture well using an electric beater, and if it is not available, you can use a hand mixer provided that the ingredients are well mixed. Add the oil to the egg mixture until the ingredients are completely combined.
Dissolve the ammonia in the milk and then apply to the egg and oil mixture. Mix the flour and dry ingredients with the previous mixture until all the ingredients are combined and no trace of flour (flour) remains on the sides of the dish.
Fill the pastry forming bag with the dough to half, and if a biscuit forming machine is available, you can use it. Form the dough lengthwise in a lightly greased tray, keeping a space between each one until the quantity is finished. Put the biscuits in a preheated oven for 15 minutes on low heat at 150 degrees.
Store the biscuits in an airtight container until served.
Golden biscuits
It is spread in Greater Cairo and the governorates of Lower Egypt in Egypt, and is characterized by its golden color and delicious crunchy taste that is preferred by adults and children alike.
Ingredients
- A kilo of multi-purpose flour.
- 400 g butter or margarine, coherent and cold.
- Two glasses of caster sugar.
- Four eggs.
- Half a teaspoon of vanilla.
- 1/2 cup milk at kitchen temperature.
- A quarter teaspoon of baking powder.
Directions
Mix the butter and caster sugar in a bowl using a hand or electric mixer, until you get a creamy, whitish consistency.
Break the eggs in a dish with the addition of vanilla. Add the eggs gradually to the butter and sugar mixture while continuing to whisk with the beater, and whenever one egg mixes and disappears completely, add the other, and so on until the four eggs are beaten and get a smooth creamy texture.
Add the milk to the mixture, stirring and kneading. Add baking powder and flour gradually to the mixture while continuing to knead until the dough becomes soft and does not stick to hands.
Make the biscuit shapes lengthwise using a machine or biscuit cones, and place them in a lightly greased tray.
Put the biscuits in the oven at 170 degrees for 10 minutes until golden in color. Stir it slightly and lightly immediately after it comes out of the oven using a silicone spatula so that it does not stick to the sheet.
Stack it neatly, one by one in an airtight container when it cools, and make sure to put only the required amount in a serving dish as this type of biscuit is very sensitive to moisture.