Post by Amani on Jan 22, 2008 12:10:33 GMT -5
Tcherek
This crescent-shaped gem, a traditional Algerian cookie, is stuffed with finely chopped almonds and showered with confectioner's sugar. This version comes from Salima Zebentout, who owns the North African restaurant, Nomad, with her husband.
For the dough:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup melted unsalted butter, cooled
Orange blossom water
For the filling:
2 cups blanched almonds, lightly toasted and chopped fine
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Orange blossom water to taste
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
For the dough, combine flour and melted butter in a bowl. Mix until the butter is completely incorporated and then add the orange blossom water, a little at a time, until a smooth dough is formed. Cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for at least 20 minutes.
For the filling, combine the almonds, sugar and cinnamon. Mix well. Add the orange blossom water until a moist paste is formed.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out half the dough into a 1/8-inch thick circle or rectangle. Cut the dough into 3-inch circles, using a cookie cutter.
Roll 2 or 3 teaspoons of the almond paste into a 2-inch long cylinder. Place it in the center of one of the circles. Repeat with more almond paste so that all the cookies have a filling. Lightly brush the border of each circle with orange blossom water. Fold the bottom of the dough over the filling, forming half circles. Press edges to seal. Bend the cookies into a crescent shape. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
Bake the cookies for 18 minutes, or until they are a very light brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes. Dip each cookie into orange blossom water and then into confectioner's sugar. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and dust with additional confectioner's sugar.
Makes about 3 dozen.
This crescent-shaped gem, a traditional Algerian cookie, is stuffed with finely chopped almonds and showered with confectioner's sugar. This version comes from Salima Zebentout, who owns the North African restaurant, Nomad, with her husband.
For the dough:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup melted unsalted butter, cooled
Orange blossom water
For the filling:
2 cups blanched almonds, lightly toasted and chopped fine
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Orange blossom water to taste
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
For the dough, combine flour and melted butter in a bowl. Mix until the butter is completely incorporated and then add the orange blossom water, a little at a time, until a smooth dough is formed. Cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for at least 20 minutes.
For the filling, combine the almonds, sugar and cinnamon. Mix well. Add the orange blossom water until a moist paste is formed.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out half the dough into a 1/8-inch thick circle or rectangle. Cut the dough into 3-inch circles, using a cookie cutter.
Roll 2 or 3 teaspoons of the almond paste into a 2-inch long cylinder. Place it in the center of one of the circles. Repeat with more almond paste so that all the cookies have a filling. Lightly brush the border of each circle with orange blossom water. Fold the bottom of the dough over the filling, forming half circles. Press edges to seal. Bend the cookies into a crescent shape. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
Bake the cookies for 18 minutes, or until they are a very light brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes. Dip each cookie into orange blossom water and then into confectioner's sugar. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and dust with additional confectioner's sugar.
Makes about 3 dozen.