Halwa Shebakia I

Description
It can be prepared in 55 Minutes and serves 14- 16 persons.

Ingredients

 * 4 lbs flour
 * 3 lbs butter
 * 2 lbs sesame seeds; plus additional toasted seeds for sprinkling
 * 1 Tbs dry yeast dissolved in 1/2 cup water
 * 20 g gum arabic optional
 * 1 Tbs saffron stamens
 * 1/2 lb smen seasoned butter
 * 1 Tbs cinnamon, ground
 * 1 qt vegetable oil
 * 1 qt vegetable oil; for frying
 * 10 lbs honey

Directions

 * 1) In a food processor process all the ingredients, except the honey, into a paste.
 * 2) Take a walnut-sized piece of paste and roll it out very thin. Using a metal cut-out typically found in Morocco, with different designs, cut out cookies and let them rise for 15 minutes. Deep-fry the cookies in the remaining quart of oil in batches over low heat just to brown.
 * 3) Soak the cookies in the honey for 15 minutes. Remove and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.