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Mhancha (almond snake pastry)
M'hancha: a long almond-filled filo 'snake' coiled, baked and glazed with orange-blossom honey
MoroccanM'hancha means 'the snake', and that is exactly what this festive Fez pastry looks like: a long tube of paper-thin warqa or filo filled with orange-blossom almond paste and coiled into a spiral, then baked until golden and brushed with warm honey. It is brought out whole for guests and family celebrations and cut into wedges at the table with mint tea. The pastry shatters, the filling is soft and fragrant with cinnamon, and the honey glaze makes it shine. Filo stands in well for warqa; most shop filo is made without butter, but check the label. Most people go wrong by letting the filo dry out while they roll; keep the sheets under a damp cloth so the long rolls don't crack when coiled. Chef's tip: roll the filling loosely in the pastry and coil it gently; packed too tightly, the snake cracks as you curl it.
- Total time
- 70 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the filling
- 14 oz ground blanched almonds
- 5 ½ oz caster sugar
- 1 ⅜ oz buttersoftened
- 3 tbsp orange-flower water
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
For the pastry
- 8 filo pastry sheets or warqathawed if frozen
- 2 ⅞ oz buttermelted
For the glaze
- 3 ½ oz honey
- 1 tbsp orange-flower water
- 2 tbsp flaked almonds (optional)toasted
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Mix 14 oz ground blanched almonds, 5 ½ oz caster sugar, 1 ⅜ oz butter, 3 tbsp orange-flower water and 1 tsp ground cinnamon and knead into a smooth paste. Divide it into 4 and roll each piece into a rope about 2 cm thick, as long as the long side of your filo sheets.
Step 2: Heat the oven to 350°F and butter a 24–26 cm round tin or line a tray. Keep 8 filo pastry sheets or warqa under a damp tea towel while you work so it does not dry out.
Step 3: Lay one sheet on the worktop, brush it with 2 ⅞ oz butter and lay a second sheet on top. Brush again. Put a rope of filling along one long edge and roll up loosely into a tube.
Step 4: Starting in the centre of the tin, coil the tube into a spiral, curling gently. If the pastry splits a little, patch it with a scrap of buttered filo.
Step 5: Make three more tubes and join each one to the end of the spiral, tucking the ends together, until you have one large coil.
Step 6: Brush the top with the rest of the butter and bake until deep golden and crisp.
30 minStep 7: While it bakes, warm 3 ½ oz honey and 1 tbsp orange-flower water in a small pan until runny.
2 minStep 8: Brush the hot pastry generously with the honey glaze, scatter with 2 tbsp flaked almonds and let it cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting into wedges.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 370 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 32 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mhancha (almond snake pastry) take?
- About 70 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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