Homemade Flaounes

Instructions for the dough

In a large bowl sift the flour, add the salt, the baking powder,the mahlab, the mastic, the cinnamon and stir well.Add the butter and overwork it with your fingers as youadd the flour.Add the yeast (you have already dissolved in a cup withlukewarm milk, 1 tsp. of flour and 1 tsp of sugar).Add a little warm water and knead. The dough must besoft and smooth but not sticky.Cover with a towel and let the dough rest for 1 hour.

Instructions for the filling

Start off by grating the cheese coarsely. Add the mahlab,the mastic, the semolina and the yeast you have alreadydissolved in 2 eggs. Stir well.Make next a dent in the middle of the cheese bowl, addthe remaining eggs one by one and knead well.Cover the bowl with a piece of cling film and leave inthe fridge for 1 day.The next day add the baking powder, the mint, the raisinsand stir well. If necessary, add another egg tomake it fluffy. Our goal is the mixture to become solidand tight.

Assembling

Divide the dough into 10 equal balls. On a floured surfaceopen the dough sheet with a rolling pin to a thicknessof ½ cm in a round shape. Place 3-4 spoons of the filling at the center and foldthe edges. Press the edges with a fork. Place the flaounes in a baking tray, lined with non-stickpaper, brush them with the beaten egg all over andsprinkle sesame seeds over the top and sides. After about 30 minutes, bake in a preheated oven at180 °C/air for 45 minutes.