What are traditional moroccan sweets?
Hello everyone, I hope you are all doing well while reading this post and enjoying the view of these delicious sweets.
This week, I was very busy preparing for Eid, especially making Eid sweets. They are a big part of our old Moroccan traditions. You can find them in every single home, mostly during special occasions and holidays. Making Moroccan sweets in their beautiful, decorated shapes is one of the most important things we do to welcome Eid al-Fitr or Eid al-Adha.
Even though it takes a lot of work and makes us tired, there is so much joy in making them. Usually, the girls of the family gather together, chatting and laughing, while everyone shows off their skills in making and decorating these treats.
Sadly, I did not get the chance to make sweets with my family this year, but that did not stop me at all from feeling the joy of Eid. I made a few different types with various flavors in my small kitchen, and I will definitely tell you about each one.
We will start with this mixed plate, and I will introduce you to the name of each sweet.
Moroccan cookies names
Let us start with Kaab el Ghazal, which looks like a crescent moon. This elegant, light-colored pastry is famous and does not really need an introduction. It has a very thin, crispy dough filled with an almond paste flavored with orange blossom water and mastic gum.
Next is Feqqas, which are crunchy pieces that look like sliced biscuits. It is a dry, toasted sweet that contains almonds, sesame seeds, and anise seeds, and we usually serve it with Moroccan mint tea.
Then we have Ghoriba, which are the round balls with beautiful cracks on top. It has a texture that melts in your mouth. We usually make it with almonds, sesame seeds, or just flour and oil, and it has a warm, traditional flavor.
We also have Mlouwza with almond flakes. These are the soft balls covered with crunchy almond flakes at the bottom of the plate. It is a rich sweet that is very chewy on the inside, made completely of almonds, and decorated with golden flakes to give it a nice crunch and an elegant look.
Finally, there is Halwat Tmer (date cookies). These are the white, rectangular pieces in the middle, covered in powdered sugar. They have a lovely traditional pattern and a soft dough that melts in your mouth, filled with date paste mixed with cinnamon and orange blossom water.
Traditional Moroccan cookies (known as halwa or dwaz atay)
Here are the ingredients and the way to prepare each sweet in a very simple and organized way, so you can easily try them at home:
1. Kaab el Ghazal
☆Ingredients:
○ The dough: 2 cups of flour, 1 tablespoon of soft butter, 1 teaspoon of honey, a pinch of salt, and orange blossom water to mix the dough.
○ The filling (almond paste): 2 cups of boiled almonds, peeled and ground very fine with 1 cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon of butter, a little orange blossom water, and a bit of mastic gum.
☆How to make it:
Mix the dough ingredients and knead it well until it becomes soft and smooth, then cover it to rest. Shape the almond paste into long fingers that are thin at the ends and thick in the middle. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin until it is very thin and clear, place the almond finger, and fold the dough over it.
Press with your fingers upwards to shape the crescent moon, then cut it with a pastry cutter. Prick the cookies with a small needle so they do not puff up in the oven. Let them dry for a whole night, then bake them in a calm oven until they get a light golden color from the bottom.
2. Moroccan Feqqas
☆Ingredients:
3 eggs, 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of oil, half a cup of almonds (soaked in orange blossom water), a quarter cup of sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon of anise seeds, 1 packet of baking powder, and flour as much as the mixture needs.
○ How to make it:
Mix the eggs, sugar, and oil very well, then add the almonds, sesame seeds, and anise seeds. Add the flour and baking powder slowly until you get a firm dough that does not stick. Shape the dough into long logs, brush them with a little instant coffee mixed with water, and make lines on top using a fork. Bake them in a cold oven on a very low heat for a half-bake, just until they are firm but not browned. Take them out, cover them with a wet towel, and let them cool down completely. After that, slice them sideways with a sharp knife and toast the pieces on both sides in the oven.
3. Traditional Ghoriba
☆Ingredients:
3 cups of flour, 1 cup of oil, 1 cup of powdered sugar, half a cup of toasted sesame seeds, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1 packet of baking powder, and a pinch of salt.
○ How to make it:
Mix the sugar, oil, sesame seeds, and cinnamon, then add the flour and baking powder slowly. Knead the dough very well with the palm of your hand until it becomes soft and easy to shape. Shape it into small balls and place them on a baking tray.
The secret to getting the cracks is to put them in a very hot oven with the heat coming directly from above until they crack, then turn on the heat from the bottom to finish cooking.
4. Mlouwza with Almond Flakes
☆Ingredients:
3 cups of fine ground almond paste, half a cup of sugar, 1 egg or egg yolk (depending on the mix), 1 teaspoon of butter, grated lemon zest, almond flakes for decoration, and a little egg white.
○ How to make it:
Mix the ground almonds with the sugar, butter, and lemon zest. Add the egg slowly and mix until you get a chewy dough that is easy to shape. Shape the mixture into small balls, dip them in egg white, and then roll them in almond flakes so they stick well.
Put them on the tray and bake them in a medium oven for only 10 to 12 minutes, so they stay chewy and soft on the inside.
5. Halwat Tmer (Date Cookies)
○ Ingredients:
The dough: 125 grams of soft butter, a quarter cup of powdered sugar, a quarter cup of orange blossom water, and flour as needed to gather the dough.
The filling: 1 and a half cups of date paste, 1 tablespoon of butter, a little cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon of orange blossom water. You will also need extra powdered sugar to cover the cookies after baking.
○ How to make it:
Mix the butter, sugar, and orange blossom water, then add the flour slowly until you get a soft and smooth dough. Mix the date paste with the butter, cinnamon, and orange blossom water, and shape it into small fingers. Take a small ball of dough, flatten it with your hand, put the date finger in the middle, then wrap the dough and close it well to make a cylinder shape.
Decorate the top of the cookie with a traditional metal pincher, and bake it in the oven until it takes a very light golden color.
Let it cool down completely, then roll it in powdered sugar.
I tried my best through this post to bring you a little closer to how we celebrate during holidays and special times. I would really love to know, have you ever visited Morocco before? What are the traditions that you liked the most?
If you are visiting my blog for the very first time, welcome! I am Nourell, a mom and a housewife. I love sharing my daily diary, simple recipes from my kitchen, and reviews for products that I personally use.
I would absolutely love to connect with you in the comments below.
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Your cookies look so professional but you make the recipes sound so do-able at home! I've never visited Morocco, but you are making me really, really want to! :)
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