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Moroccan Almond Cigars
Almond cigars are a traditional North African pastry prepared with almond-filled brick dough, that is fried and topped with honey syrup.
Prep Time
1 hr 30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
2 hrs
Servings: 36 cigars
Course:
Dessert
Cuisine:
Moroccan , North African
Ingredients
- 12 large sheets brick dough
- vegetable oil (for frying)
- 1 egg white , beaten
For the almond paste
- 10 oz. raw almonds , peeled
- 1 cup icing sugar
- 1 egg white
- 2 tablespoons orange blossom water
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
For the syrup
- 1⅓ cups caster sugar
- ½ freshly squeezed lemon
- 2 tablespoons orange blossom water
- 4 tablespoons liquid honey
Equipment
- food processor
Instructions
Almond paste
- Place the almonds in a saucepan and cover with boiling water. Bring to a boil and stop cooking after a couple minutes.
- Drain the almonds and place them between two thick linens by tapping them to dry them well.
- Place the almonds in the bowl of the food processor, add the icing sugar, orange blossom water and lemon zest and mix until obtaining a smooth and homogeneous paste. Pour the dough into a bowl, add the slightly beaten egg white and knead well.
- Let stand 15 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Then form 2-inch (5 cm) sticks and set aside.
Cup of Yum
Syrup
- Pour the sugar into a nonstick pan and cover it with water.
- Add lemon juice and orange blossom water.
- Place the pan on low heat and, using a wooden spoon, stir once (not more), when the sugar is boiling.
- Cook gently until reaching a temperature of 220 F (105˚C), for about 20 to 30 minutes.
- When the sugar reaches a temperature of 195 F (90˚C), stir in the honey and stir the pan by the handle (do not stir with a spoon).
Folding the cigars
- Cut each sheet of brick dough into 3 equal triangles.
- Place a stick of marzipan, about ½ inch (1 cm) from the edge of the triangle.
- Fold over each end by folding them on the stick.
- Begin to roll the cigar starting with the rounded edge.
- Close by brushing with beaten egg white to stick.
Frying
- Heat a large volume of oil in a non-stick pan (avoid stainless steel) until the temperature reaches 340 F (170˚C).
- Fry the cigars over medium heat, turning them occasionally until golden brown.
- Drop them as you go in a colander.
- Dip the still hot but non-burning cigars in the hot but not burning syrup and place them on an oiled parchment paper to cool them.
- Wait until they are completely cool to keep them in a cool place in a metal or glass container.
Notes
- The cigars freeze perfectly once cooled and the syrup is preserved for a long time in the refrigerator or in the freezer. When you get them out of the freezer, you can re-dip the cigars in the warmed syrup while not waiting for them to thaw.
- In order to obtain cigars of a beautiful golden color, prepare raw carrot sticks and place one or two pieces in the frying oil. Regularly change the pieces of carrot throughout the frying.
- The frying temperature should be kept around 340 F.