Algerian Helouwa Ta'aba (lemon Or Sesame Cookies)

Total Time: 58 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 28 mins

Ingredients

• 1 kg plain flour
• 6 eggs
• 250 g granulated sugar (i use 200g-220g)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 liter sunflower oil or 1/4 liter vegetable oil or 1/4 liter canola oil
• 4 lemons, zest of, finely grated
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds, lightly toasted

Recipe

• 1 in a large bowl, beat the eggs & the oil.
• 2 add the baking powder (& lemon zest if using), & slowly add the flour, mixing the ingredients with your hands until a dough forms. you will probably not need all of the flour.
• 3 once you have a firm dough, you can shape your helouwa.
• 4 to shape, you have 2 choices: you can roll out to 5mm thickness & cut out with your favourite cookie cutters or you can roll into a 1cm thick 'sausage' & make rings & straight lengths them decorate with a 'nakkach' or fork if you don't have one. (see photos).
• 5 if making the sesame version, once you have cut out all your cookies, brush a little beaten egg over the top of the cookies & sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
• 6 place on a tray lined with aluminium foil (shiny side up) & bake for 25-28 minutes. the cookies should be pale but hard when tapped. (unless you want them soft on the inside, in which case you should take them out after 20 minutes).
• 7 allow to cool then store in an airtight container for upto 2 weeks.