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Almond briouats
Briouats bel louz: crisp filo triangles of orange-blossom almond paste, fried and soaked in honey
MoroccanRamadan evenings, weddings and Eid all call for a tray of sticky almond briouats: small triangles of warqa or filo wrapped around almond paste scented with orange-flower water and cinnamon, fried until golden and then plunged into warm honey. They are crisp at first bite, then soft and chewy as the honey seeps in, finished with a few sesame seeds. Served with mint tea, they sit happily next to chebakia and sellou on the iftar table. Filo works well in place of warqa. Chef's tip: dip the briouats in honey that is warm but not boiling, for about 2 minutes; leave them longer, the common mistake, and they turn soggy.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 15
Ingredients
For the filling
- 10 ½ oz blanched almonds
- 4 oz caster sugar
- 1 oz buttersoftened
- 2 tbsp orange-flower water
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
For wrapping and frying
- 10 filo pastry sheets or warqathawed if frozen
- 1 tbsp plain flourmixed with 1 tbsp water to seal
- 3 ¼ cups vegetable oilfor frying
For the honey
- 14 oz honey
- 2 tbsp orange-flower water
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds (optional)toasted
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Toast 10 ½ oz blanched almonds on a tray in a 350°F oven until pale golden, then let them cool.
10 minStep 2: Grind the almonds with 4 oz caster sugar in a food processor until fine and starting to clump. Add 1 oz butter, 2 tbsp orange-flower water and ½ tsp ground cinnamon and pulse into a paste that holds together when squeezed.
Step 3: Cut 10 filo pastry sheets or warqa into strips about 7 cm wide and 25 cm long. Keep them under a damp tea towel.
Step 4: Put a walnut-sized ball of filling at one end of a strip, fold the corner over to make a triangle and keep folding along the strip like a flag. Seal the end with a dab of 1 tbsp plain flour. Repeat to make about 30.
Step 5: Warm 14 oz honey and 2 tbsp orange-flower water in a wide pan over a low heat until runny but not bubbling.
Step 6: Heat 3 ¼ cups vegetable oil in a deep pan to 350°F. Fry the briouats in batches, turning once, until evenly golden.
3 minStep 7: Lift them out with a slotted spoon, let them drain for a few seconds and drop them into the warm honey. Turn them in it for about 2 minutes, then lift onto a rack set over a tray.
2 minStep 8: Sprinkle with 2 tbsp sesame seeds while still sticky. Cool completely before serving. They keep for 5 days in an airtight tin.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 320 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 40 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does almond briouats take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 45 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 15 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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