One of my absolutely favorite bites is Kaak bi Halib or what are also known as soft milk buns or milk cakes. I love them and my preferred to date has been the ones sold at Salon des Familles in Zahle. But, recently I came across some really good ones at the Beirut Cooking Festival.
I met a lady there who makes some good and tasty milk cakes... But I wouldn't really call them Kaak bi Halib as they are a somehow different – let’s say a revisited version of my favorite bites.
Round circular kaak topped with sesame seeds and ready to be enjoyed. Just imagine: A moist kaak where nutmeg, mahaleb, vanilla and lemon zest are strongly felt in every bite.
Aromatic and rich, these are different from the original Kaak bi Halib I usually enjoy from Zahle. They're less fatty and taste different. I personally got to know them at The Beirut Cooking Festival and went searching for its producer. All the way from Kherbet Anafar in West Bekaa, I received two bags carefully produced by Mrs. Lina Haddad.
I opened the bag… One bite, followed by the next, the third… and I ended up eating four. I could not stop.
Considering they're different and very rich in aromas, prepare yourself for something out of the ordinary, homemade straight from the village.
Good to know:
- These kaaks are handmade and homemade
- Cooked in a wood oven, they are baked slowly and unevenly so don't be shocked if some are a bit dry. If I could change one single thing, I'd make them more moist.
- Flour, vanilla, sugar, lemon zest, nutmeg... They do contain a dozen rich ingredients
- Richly aromatic, the experience is memorable
- They're sold for only LBP10,000/Kilo, that's LBP5,000 each bag
Ingredients: Flour, sugar, yeast, baking powder, crisco margarine, sesame, nutmeg, mahaleb, spices, lemon zest, vanilla and love.
Produced by Mrs. Lina Haddad, you can call her directly for your orders on +961 8 645303 or +961 70 671399.
These kaak last 20 days without fridge and two months in the fridge.
