← Nouns Cooking · Moroccan

Ingredients

• 400 g blanched almonds
• 140 g Sugar
• 100 g butter, softened (for the filling)
• 2 tbsp Orange flower water
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon, plus extra to dust
• 1 egg yolk (for the filling)
• 10 sheets warqa or filo pastry sheets
• 70 g butter, melted (for brushing)
• 1 egg yolk, to glaze
• 120 g Honey
• 1 tbsp Sesame seeds, toasted (optional)

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Toast the almonds on a tray for 8 min until pale gold, then cool.
2. Grind the almonds with the sugar until fine, then blend in the soft butter, orange flower water, cinnamon and egg yolk to a smooth paste. Roll it into ropes about 2.5 cm thick.
3. Lay two pastry sheets slightly overlapping and brush with melted butter. Place an almond rope along one long edge and roll up loosely into a long tube. Repeat with the rest.
4. Butter a 25 cm round tin. Starting in the centre, coil the first tube into a tight spiral, then keep adding tubes, joining the ends, until you have a big snake.
5. Brush the top with melted butter, then with the beaten egg yolk. Bake for 30–35 min until deep golden and crisp.
6. Warm the honey and brush it all over the hot pastry. Dust with cinnamon, scatter with sesame and leave for 15 min before cutting into wedges.

Tips

• Contains almonds, wheat, egg and dairy.
• Roll the tubes loosely: the filling swells in the oven and tight tubes split.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

SBS Food Cooking With Alia My Moroccan Food