Sweet Mini Samosas | Cream Cheese Dates and Almonds

These sweet mini samosas have become my Eid tradition. Trust me, no one can stop with just one or ten! Both kids and grown-up kids enjoy this treat and let me tell you, every sweet mini samosa you made will be off the plate in no time!

These samosas are not new, in fact, I had pinned this during 2016 Ramadan from Tasbih's blog Cleobuttera along with her three-cheese samosas that we loved. Her original recipe uses only cream cheese and she also cut the regular samosa sheet into four sheets. I have used the readymade store-bought mini samosa sheets and used cream cheese, dates and almonds to stuff. You can shallow or deep fry these in oil or ghee.

I made a batch for our iftar even though my partner was sceptical. But as Tasbih promised, we couldn't stop with just one or 10 or 15 - I had made around 25 and all was over the same day!

On the 12th of June 2017, Ragee's foster mom invited us for Iftar and I offered to make samosas for her and her guest. I made 20 chicken samosas and then this plate of sweet mini samosas with the addition of almonds and date paste. As I was fasting, I couldn't taste it but had all the time to click pictures before heading to her place because I wanted to share this recipe for the #EidEats2017 event.

I wrapped this plate with cling film and off we went to her place. I was nervous and kept requesting every one of her guests to try the sweet samosa but they were all into the savoury. I was telling each kid, try one! 😛 I almost thought well it is not everyone's cup of tea. But after maghrib prayers, the ladies started munching and I was super glad that they loved it and were so curious to know how it is made. They went WOW-- MMMMM --- and one of them asked me the recipe and I am sure she didn't make any mental notes as I could see her immersed in relishing each bite. It is such a simple dish, all readymade items, and when you get amazing praise - Take it, because wrapping those mini samosas is a task! 😜

That day I decided sweet mini samosas will be my Eid sweet and InshaAllah, if possible I want to make a batch for neighbours too.

• Mini Samosa Sheets (Switz): If using frozen, make sure to thaw as per pack instructions. I usually take it out of the pack and keep them covered in the cloth. You should be able to peel easily without breaking and that is when it is thawed completely. You can always refreeze the remaining sheets. If you don't find mini sheets, you can use the regular size and cut them vertically into two as Tasbih did.
• Cream cheese squares: I prefer al marai cream cheese squares but recently have to use Puck and I am not a fan. Please do not use a cream cheese spread. Unwrap the cheese squares and keep them in the fridge or freezer to make them easy to cut and work with. If humid, they tend to get messy at room temperature. If you don't find cream cheese squares, use the block cream cheese.
• Almonds: You may use whole, sliced, blanched and sliced or roasted etc.
• Dates: I have always made with date paste but in the recent batch I used chopped dates. So whatever you have in hand works!  
• Oil: I have used sunflower oil to pan-fry. You may use any neutral cooking oil.
• sugar syrup: I have included the recipe for syrup flavoured with rose water or orange blossom water. You may use store-bought syrup or honey syrup.
• Edible glue: Made with flour and water to seal the wraps.

A bite of this syrup-drenched crispy fried mini samosa will dazzle you with its creamy cream cheese, crunchy almonds and sweet dates!

For sugar syrup:

• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup of water
• 1 cardamom
• a squeeze of lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon rose water
• ¼ teaspoon orange blossom water (optional)
• a dash of crushed saffron

• Oil to fry
• almond meal for garnish (optional)
• saffron strands to garnish (optional)
• dried rose petals (optional)

METHOD

1. Prepare the syrup: First, prepare the sugar syrup by boiling the water and sugar with a dash of lime juice. Bring to a full boil on high and reduce the flame and let it simmer for 5 to 8 minutes and switch off. Add flavour water as desired and keep it aside to cool. You can make this a day ahead and refrigerate.
2. Have the samosa sheets ready to use: Remove the samosa sheets from the pack and keep them covered all time under a clean kitchen towel. If it is frozen sheets, make sure to thaw as per pack instructions. Exposure to air will make them dry and brittle.
3. Keep the filling ingredients ready to use: Keep a few cream cheese squares cut into 4 or 6 smaller cubes. As the cheese squares tend to get messy at room temperature, unwrap the squares and keep them in the fridge. Use as and when needed while wrapping. Chop the dates or divide the date paste into small bits so they are available readily to pick and stuff. You may use any kind of almonds or any other nuts.
4. Prepare the edible glue: Mix the flour and water without lumps into a paste that is not too thick or too runny.
5. Prepare the sweet mini samosas: Wrap the samosas stuffed with cream cheese, almond, and date paste. Seal the end using edible glue. Keep the wrapped mini samosas covered while you work with the rest. Refrigerate the batch until needed (you may freeze too). To freeze, place the wrapped mini samosas on a tray and freeze them open until frozen. Transfer to a box and store in the freezer. Use without thawing.
6. Shallow or deep fry the mini samosas: Heat oil in a thick-bottomed pan enough to fry. Add as many mini samosas as the pan can hold comfortably and fry turning sides until browned evenly. Remove and transfer to a kitchen tissue.
7. Dunk in syrup and serve: While the samosa is warm, dip them in the cooled sugar syrup. Transfer them onto the serving platter and drizzle more syrup. Garnish with rose petals, saffron strands or crushed almonds.
8. Serve warm or at room temperature. Refrigerate any leftovers and consume within 3 to 5 days.

Notes:

• Any excess sugar syrup can be stored in the fridge and used later. I am sure you will make these again.
• You can avoid the date paste and almonds and just keep cream cheese as in the original recipe.
• There are endless possibilities, so go get creative and make your version!

While my mom's tradition of Eid Day was making Vermicelli payasam and Gulab Jamuns, making these sweet mini samosas with cream cheese will be mine!