A VALENTINE’S DAY DESSERT
8th Feb 2016
Valentine’s Day is all about love—and sweets. Heart-shaped chocolate boxes fill store shelves,
and restaurants end their romantic set meals with decadent chocolate soufflés or flourless
chocolate cakes. While chocolate is nice, I think Valentine’s Day is the perfect time for one of my
favorite Moroccan sweets: kaab el ghazal.
More commonly known as cornes de gazelle, or gazelle horns, the almond-based cookies were a
staple of my childhood. My mother was often called on to prepare them, one of her specialties, for
family celebrations, and I would be her sous chef, peeling the boiled almonds before she ground
them into a sweet paste.
You could give your special someone chocolate this holiday, but kaab el ghazal, like love, are
sure to be a welcome surprise.
Bake your own with this traditional recipe:
INGERDIENTS
- ----- For the Almond Paste -----
- 1 1b. (about 500 g) blanched (skinned) almonds
- 1 1/3 cups (275 g) sugar
- 1/3 cup (75 ml) orange flower water
- 1/4 cup (60 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- tiny pinch of mastic or gum arabic powder (optional)
- ----- For the Pastry Dough -----
- 3 cups (375 g) flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 small eggs (or 1 1/2 large eggs)
- 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 4 to 5 tablespoons orange flower water
- ----- For the Optional Egg Wash -----
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon orange flower water
- ----- For Optional Kaab el Ghazal M'Fenned -----
- orange flower water, for dipping
- powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)