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Tcharek el ariane
Almond crescents with orange blossom
Algerian almond crescents scented with orange blossom
On the last nights of Ramadan, kitchens across Algiers and Constantine fill up with trays of tcharek el ariane, the 'naked' tcharek: crescents of thin, buttery dough wrapped around almond paste with cinnamon and orange-blossom water. Unlike their sugar-coated cousins they are left bare, so the fine dough with its pinched, lace-like pattern shows. Families give them to neighbours on Eid morning and set them out at weddings with mint tea and coffee. The dough is traditionally made with smen (aged butter); plain melted butter works well. Overbaking is the common slip, because they turn hard and dry; they should stay pale with only golden tips. Chef's tip: keep the dough under a damp cloth while you shape, as it dries in minutes and then cracks along the curve.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 15
Ingredients
For the dough
- 14 oz plain flour
- 1 pinch salt
- 4 ½ oz buttermelted and cooled
- ¼ cup orange-blossom water
- ¼ cup waterabout
For the filling
- 10 ½ oz ground almonds
- 4 oz caster sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 eggbeaten
- ⅔ oz buttermelted
- 3 tbsp orange-blossom water
For the glaze
- 1 egg yolkbeaten with 1 tbsp milk; or brush with milk for an egg-free glaze
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Rub 4 ½ oz butter into 14 oz plain flour and 1 pinch salt with your fingertips until every grain is coated and it looks like damp sand. Add ¼ cup orange-blossom water and enough ¼ cup water to make a smooth, firm dough. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
30 minStep 2: Mix 10 ½ oz ground almonds, 4 oz caster sugar, 1 tsp ground cinnamon and 1 tsp lemon zest. Add 1 egg, ⅔ oz butter and 3 tbsp orange-blossom water and knead into a soft paste that holds its shape; add a few drops more blossom water if it is crumbly.
Step 3: Roll the filling into finger-thick ropes and cut them into 6 cm pieces with tapered ends, about 15 g each. You should get around 30.
Step 4: Heat the oven to 350°F (300°F fan) and line two baking trays. Roll a quarter of the dough very thin, about 2 mm, keeping the rest covered.
Step 5: Cut 9 cm rounds. Lay a piece of filling on one half of each round, fold the dough over, and press the edges closed around the filling.
Step 6: Trim the edge with a fluted cutter to a half-moon, then bend it gently into a crescent. Pinch a pattern along the top with pastry tweezers or a fork if you like.
Step 7: Repeat with the rest of the dough and filling, re-rolling the scraps once. Lay the crescents on the trays and brush the tops lightly with 1 egg yolk.
Step 8: Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the bases are light golden and the tips just colour; the tops should stay pale.
22 minStep 9: Cool on the trays. They keep for 10 days in an airtight tin.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 340 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 33 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tcharek el ariane take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 95 minutes to prepare and 25 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.
- 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 plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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