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Ghraybeh
Ghraybeh: pale, melt-in-the-mouth Levantine shortbread crowned with a pistachio
Across Syria, Lebanon and Palestine, trays of ghraybeh appear for Eid and weddings next to ma'amoul; in Aleppo they are often shaped into little bracelets with a pistachio at the join. Made from just ghee, icing sugar and flour, they are so tender they crumble as soon as you bite, and they should stay ivory-white, never brown. Serve with strong coffee or mint tea. Common mistake: baking until golden — they should come out pale and still soft, and firm up as they cool. Chef's tip: whip the ghee and sugar for a full 10 minutes until white and fluffy; that is what gives the melting texture.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 24
Ingredients
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (1)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Beat 7 oz ghee with an electric whisk for 5 minutes until pale. Add 3 ½ oz icing sugar and beat for another 5–8 minutes until white, fluffy and doubled in volume.
13 minStep 2: Add 1 tsp orange blossom water, then fold in 10 ½ oz plain flour by hand until a soft dough forms that doesn't stick to your fingers. Chill for 30 minutes.
30 minStep 3: Heat the oven to 300°F (275°F fan) and line a tray. Roll walnut-sized balls and flatten slightly, or roll into thin 10 cm ropes and join into rings.
Step 4: Press one of the 24 pistachios into each cookie (at the join, for rings).
Step 5: Bake for 13–15 minutes until set but still completely pale underneath. Leave on the tray until fully cool; they are very fragile when warm. Store airtight for 2 weeks.
15 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 140 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 15 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ghraybeh take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 24 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of ghee?
- Butter, same amount (keep the heat a little lower, butter burns sooner).
- What can I use instead of icing sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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