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Moroccan bachkoutou
Orange and sesame dunking biscuits
بشكوطو: crisp orange and sesame dunking biscuits for mint tea
Moroccan grandmothers bake bachkoutou by the trayful and keep them in big tins for the afternoon glass of sweet mint tea, and neighbourhood ovens in Fes and Casablanca bake them for families who bring their dough. These are dry, crunchy little biscuits, not rich at all, made with eggs, sugar and oil rather than butter, with orange zest and a coating of toasted sesame; they are meant to be dunked until they soften slightly. Shapes vary from town to town: fingers, rings and rope twists are all common, and some cooks add aniseed. Too much flour is the easy mistake: the dough should stay soft and slightly sticky, or the biscuits bake heavy and hard rather than crisp and light. Chef's tip: once they are cold, put them back in a warm, switched-off oven for 20 minutes; that extra drying is what makes them keep their snap for weeks.
- Total time
- 38 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 24
Ingredients
For the dough
- 2 eggs
- 3 ½ oz caster sugar
- ¼ cup sunflower oil
- 1 tbsp orange zestfrom 1 orange
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 10 oz plain flourplus a little more if needed
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tsp aniseed (optional)
To finish
- 2 ⅛ oz sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp milk or waterfor brushing
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan) and line two trays with baking paper.
Step 2: Whisk 2 eggs and 3 ½ oz caster sugar for 2 minutes until frothy, then whisk in ¼ cup sunflower oil, 1 tbsp orange zest, 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1 tsp aniseed, if using.
2 minStep 3: Mix 10 oz plain flour, 2 tsp baking powder and 1 pinch salt, then stir them into the egg mixture to make a soft dough that you can just roll without it sticking to your hands. Add flour only a spoonful at a time if needed.
Step 4: Spread 2 ⅛ oz sesame seeds on a plate. Roll walnut-sized pieces of dough into ropes about 10 cm long; leave them as fingers or bend them into rings.
Step 5: Brush each piece lightly with 2 tbsp milk or water and roll it in the sesame, then set it on the trays 3 cm apart.
Step 6: Bake for 15–18 minutes, until golden all over and firm when pressed; the sesame should be toasty, not dark.
17 minStep 7: Cool on the trays. For extra crunch, return them to the switched-off oven while it is still warm for 20 minutes, then cool completely and store airtight for up to a month.
20 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 94 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does moroccan bachkoutou take?
- About 38 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 18 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 24 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 caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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