Traditional Maltese treacle-filled pastry rings with a citrus-spiced filling, a beloved Christmas and festive treat.
Instructions
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1
Make pastry: cream butter and sugar, add eggs and zests. Gradually mix in flour to form soft dough. Chill 30 min.
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2
Make filling: warm treacle gently, stir in semolina, zests, spices, anise, and almonds. Let thicken and cool.
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3
Roll pastry into long strips. Place a line of filling down the center of each strip.
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4
Fold pastry over filling, shape into rings, and join ends. Make small cuts on top to show filling.
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5
Brush with egg wash. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 20-25 min until golden.
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6
Cool completely before storing — they improve over several days.
Did You Know?
Maltese families traditionally make huge batches of qaghaq tal-ghasel before Christmas, storing them in tins where they soften and improve for weeks.
The Story Behind Qaghaq tal-Ghasel
Qaghaq tal-ghasel is Malta's signature Christmas pastry, with recipes passed down through generations. The treacle filling (ghasel iswed) reflects medieval sweetening traditions before refined sugar became common. No Maltese Christmas table is complete without these distinctive ring-shaped treats.
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