Soft Egyptian Date Qorsh
Soft date qorsh needs a soft, slightly sticky dough that ferments until it doubles in size, and a short bake at 200°C (12–15 minutes) — extra flour and long baking make them dry like biscuits. The date paste should be rolled into a thin layer with the edges sealed tightly, otherwise the qorsh will open up in the oven and the dates will melt and burn.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 165 min
- Calories
- 390
Photo: Muhammad.I.Abdrabbo / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%D9%83%D8%AD%D9%83(%D9%82%D8%B1%D8%B5_%D8%A7%D9%88_%D9%82%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%82%D9%8A%D8%B4)_%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D8%A7%D9%8A.jpeg
Date qorsh is one of the oldest Egyptian homemade baked goods: soft, bread-like round discs with a layer of date paste inside, poked and brushed on top. They are made for holidays and seasons and distributed to neighbors. The difference between a soft qorsh and a hard, crumbly qorsh isn't just in the ingredients — it's in the fermentation and oven time.
الوصفة بالفيديو 4:25 min
Method
-
1
Mixing Dry Ingredients
In a wide bowl, mix the flour, sugar, yeast, baking powder, and anise, and put the salt on the side away from the yeast. Direct salt on the yeast slows down its action.
⏱ 3 min -
2
Kneading
Make a well in the center and add the egg and warm ghee, and start mixing while pouring in the warm milk little by little. Knead for 8–10 minutes until the dough is smooth, soft, and slightly sticky in your hand. Do not add extra flour — every extra spoonful of flour makes the qorsh dry after they cool.
⏱ 12 min -
3
Fermentation
Grease a bowl with a drop of oil, place the dough in it, and cover it with a plastic bag and a towel in a warm place for 1 hour until it doubles in size. Dough containing ghee and eggs ferments slower than bread dough, so wait for the volume rather than the hour.
⏱ 60 min -
4
Preparing the Dates
While it ferments, put the date paste, ghee, and cinnamon in a pan over low heat for 3–5 minutes and mash it until it becomes a soft paste. When it cools, divide it into 12 balls (about 35g each), and roll out each ball between two sheets of plastic wrap into a 7 cm circle. Flattened date paste distributes over the whole qorsh instead of being a lump in the center.
⏱ 15 min -
5
Dividing and Stuffing
Press the dough to release the air, and divide it into 12 balls (about 80g each). Flatten each ball in the palm of your hand or on the counter into a 12 cm circle, place the date circle in the center, gather the edges over it like a bundle and pinch it closed well, then flip it seam-side down.
⏱ 15 min -
6
Flattening and Poking
Gently flatten the qorsh with a rolling pin or the palm of your hand until it is a 10–12 cm circle about 1.5 cm thick without the dates piercing through the dough. Poke it with a fork in rows from edge to edge, or pattern the edge with a pastry clamp. Poking releases the steam so the dough doesn't separate from the dates and puff up like a ball. Arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper with 4 cm between each qorsh.
⏱ 15 min -
7
Second Fermentation and Glazing
Cover the tray and leave it for 30 minutes until the qorsh puffs up, and preheat the oven to 200°C. Beat the egg with a tablespoon of milk, lightly brush the top with a brush, and sprinkle with sesame seeds if you like.
⏱ 30 min -
8
Baking
Bake in the middle rack for 12–15 minutes until the top and bottom are golden. Do not overbake so the qorsh stays soft, and if the top browns quickly while the bottom is still pale, cover it with a piece of foil for the last 3 minutes.
⏱ 15 min -
9
The Towel
As soon as they come out, arrange them on a wire rack and cover them with a clean towel until they cool. The trapped steam under the towel softens the crust. After they cool completely, store them in a closed bag.
⏱ 20 min
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Tips that actually matter
- Anise or ground fennel is what gives the qorsh its well-known rustic flavor — increase it to half a tablespoon if you like it prominent.
- If the date paste pierces the dough while you are flattening it, make the date circle one centimeter smaller and flatten with your palm instead of a rolling pin.
- For qorsh that dried out the next day: sprinkle them with a little water, wrap them in foil, and put them in a 150°C oven for 5 minutes.
- For plain qorsh: use the same dough without filling, increase the sugar by two tablespoons, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
People also ask
What is the difference between qorsh and meneen?
Qorsh is a soft yeast bread kneaded well and fermented until it doubles, rolled into large circles with a date layer inside, and the top is brushed with egg. Meneen are small pieces with more ghee that are not kneaded so they come out like soft biscuits, filled with a date log and decorated in an oval mold.
Why do the qorsh open up in the oven and the dates melt out?
Either the edges weren't sealed well, or the dates were larger than the dough and pierced it while you were flattening, or the qorsh wasn't poked so the steam opened it up. Seal the bundle tightly, make the date circle 5 cm smaller than the dough circle, and poke the whole top.
Can I make the qorsh with oil instead of ghee?
You can use the exact same amount, and the qorsh will stay soft and taste lighter. Many people make them half ghee and half oil to get the aroma of ghee and the softness of oil together.
How long do qorsh last? And how do you freeze them?
In a closed bag at room temperature for 3–4 days, and the fridge dries them out faster so avoid it. For the freezer, put them in bags after they cool completely and they will last 2–3 months, then reheat them in a 150°C oven for 5–8 minutes.
Cook mode
Soft Egyptian Date Qorsh
-
1
Mixing Dry Ingredients
In a wide bowl, mix the flour, sugar, yeast, baking powder, and anise, and put the salt on the side away from the yeast. Direct salt on the yeast slows down its action.
-
2
Kneading
Make a well in the center and add the egg and warm ghee, and start mixing while pouring in the warm milk little by little. Knead for 8–10 minutes until the dough is smooth, soft, and slightly sticky in your hand. Do not add extra flour — every extra spoonful of flour makes the qorsh dry after they cool.
-
3
Fermentation
Grease a bowl with a drop of oil, place the dough in it, and cover it with a plastic bag and a towel in a warm place for 1 hour until it doubles in size. Dough containing ghee and eggs ferments slower than bread dough, so wait for the volume rather than the hour.
-
4
Preparing the Dates
While it ferments, put the date paste, ghee, and cinnamon in a pan over low heat for 3–5 minutes and mash it until it becomes a soft paste. When it cools, divide it into 12 balls (about 35g each), and roll out each ball between two sheets of plastic wrap into a 7 cm circle. Flattened date paste distributes over the whole qorsh instead of being a lump in the center.
-
5
Dividing and Stuffing
Press the dough to release the air, and divide it into 12 balls (about 80g each). Flatten each ball in the palm of your hand or on the counter into a 12 cm circle, place the date circle in the center, gather the edges over it like a bundle and pinch it closed well, then flip it seam-side down.
-
6
Flattening and Poking
Gently flatten the qorsh with a rolling pin or the palm of your hand until it is a 10–12 cm circle about 1.5 cm thick without the dates piercing through the dough. Poke it with a fork in rows from edge to edge, or pattern the edge with a pastry clamp. Poking releases the steam so the dough doesn't separate from the dates and puff up like a ball. Arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper with 4 cm between each qorsh.
-
7
Second Fermentation and Glazing
Cover the tray and leave it for 30 minutes until the qorsh puffs up, and preheat the oven to 200°C. Beat the egg with a tablespoon of milk, lightly brush the top with a brush, and sprinkle with sesame seeds if you like.
-
8
Baking
Bake in the middle rack for 12–15 minutes until the top and bottom are golden. Do not overbake so the qorsh stays soft, and if the top browns quickly while the bottom is still pale, cover it with a piece of foil for the last 3 minutes.
-
9
The Towel
As soon as they come out, arrange them on a wire rack and cover them with a clean towel until they cool. The trapped steam under the towel softens the crust. After they cool completely, store them in a closed bag.
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