Description
- Mahlep,Mahlepi, Mahleb, Mahlab Seeds, Traditional Spice for Pastry Making
Mahlepi whole seeds Ideal for Greek and Middle Eastern cousine Commonly used in sweet making Mahlab is an aromatic spice, which comes from the seeds of a species of cherry. The seeds are cracked to extract the seed kernel, which, when fresh, is soft and chewy. Then the seed kernel is ground to a powder and it is ready for use. Its flavor is similar to a combination of bitter almond and cherry. It is used in small quantities to enhance the taste of traditional sweets. In Greek cooking it is mainly used in egg-rich yeast cakes and cookies such as Christmas vasilopita and Easter tsoureki. Mahlab is an unusual fragrant spice made from the stones of a species of a black cherry called Prunus Mahaleb, or more commonly know, St. Lucies Cherry. This cherry tree grows wild in the Mediterranean region and it was first used to make perfumes in the Middle East and Turkey. The cherry stones are cracked to extract the seed kernels. The seed kernel is then ground to a powder before use, and its flavor is similar to a combination of bitter almond and cherry. Some describe it as resembling Marzipan. Mahlab is used in small quantities to sharpen the taste of sweet foods and baked goods.