Luqaimat Brunch Pancakes with Date-Tahini Butter

Method

1. Warm the milk with most of the batter-and-pan butter in a small pan on low heat, just until the butter melts and the milk is lukewarm (about 40 °C). Crumble in the saffron and leave for 10 min. If it feels hot, let it cool a little so the yeast survives.

   Add in this stepMilk 170 mlSaffron threads 1 pinchButter (for batter and pan) 15 g

   low heat

2. Mix the flour, yeast, sugar, cardamom and salt in a bowl, add the egg and the saffron milk and whisk for 2 min into a smooth, lump-free batter, slightly thicker than ordinary pancake batter.

   Add in this stepAll-purpose flour 120 gInstant dry yeast ¾ tspSugar 2 tspGround cardamom ½ tspSalt 1 pinchEgg 1

3. Cover and leave in a warm place for 45 min, until it has grown by about half and the surface is dotted with bubbles. This rise gives the chewy, light texture of luqaimat. Do not stir it; cook it as it is.

4. Meanwhile make the topping butter: mash the softened butter with half the date syrup and the tahini with a fork until smooth.

   Add in this stepButter, softened (for topping) 25 gDate syrup (dibs) 1½ tbspTahini 2 tsp

5. Heat a 24 cm frying pan on medium-low heat for 1 minute and wipe it thinly with the remaining butter on a paper towel. Ladle in rounds of batter about 10 cm across and cook for 2 min, until the surface bubbles pop and leave holes and the edges look dry, then flip and cook for 1 min 30 sec more until golden on both sides. Too hot and they burn before the middle cooks, so keep the heat moderate, and cook in as many rounds as your pan needs.

   Add in this stepButter (for batter and pan) 10 g

   medium-low heat

6. Stack 3 or 4 pancakes per plate, top with a spoonful of date-tahini butter and let it melt. Drizzle with the remaining date syrup, sprinkle with sesame and serve warm.

   Add in this stepDate syrup (dibs) 1½ tbspToasted sesame seeds 1 tsp