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Fekkas (twice-baked almond biscuits)
Fekkas: crunchy twice-baked biscuits with almonds, raisins, aniseed and sesame
Before Eid and during Ramadan, Moroccan kitchens fill with the scent of fekkas: logs of a soft, eggy dough studded with almonds, raisins, aniseed and sesame are baked, cooled, sliced thin and baked again until dry, golden and very crunchy. They are offered to guests on trays with ghriba and other biscuits and dunked into mint tea or milky coffee, and they keep for weeks in a tin, so they are perfect to make ahead. The flavour is gently sweet, with liquorice notes from the anise and a little lemon. Avoid slicing the logs while they are still hot from the first bake; they crumble. Let them firm up first. Chef's tip: let the baked logs cool completely, ideally overnight, before slicing; warm logs crumble under the knife.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 20
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 5 ½ oz sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 ⅛ oz buttermelted
- 2 tbsp orange-flower water
- 1 lemonfinely grated zest only
- 1 ⅛ lb plain flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tbsp aniseedlightly toasted
- 2 tbsp sesame seedstoasted
- 3 ½ oz whole almondsskin on or blanched
- 2 ⅞ oz golden raisins
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Whisk 3 eggs and 5 ½ oz sugar in a large bowl until pale and frothy, then whisk in ½ cup vegetable oil, 2 ⅛ oz butter, 2 tbsp orange-flower water and 1 lemon.
4 minStep 2: Mix 1 ⅛ lb plain flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 pinch salt, 1 tbsp aniseed and 2 tbsp sesame seeds and stir into the egg mixture with a spoon, then by hand, to make a soft dough.
Step 3: Work in 3 ½ oz whole almonds and 2 ⅞ oz golden raisins until evenly spread. The dough should be soft but not sticky; add a spoonful of flour only if it clings to your hands.
Step 4: Heat the oven to 350°F. Divide the dough into 4 and roll each piece into a log about 4 cm wide. Lay them on lined trays, well apart, and flatten slightly.
Step 5: Bake until set, firm to the touch and pale golden underneath.
25 minStep 6: Cool the logs completely on a rack, at least 2 hours or overnight wrapped in a tea towel.
Step 7: Heat the oven to 300°F. With a serrated knife, cut the logs into 5 mm slices and lay them flat on lined trays.
Step 8: Bake, turning the slices once halfway, until golden and completely dry; they crisp further as they cool.
20 minStep 9: Cool completely and keep in an airtight tin for up to 1 month.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 200 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 26 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does fekkas (twice-baked almond biscuits) take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 20 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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