Moroccan cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Mhancha (Almond Snake)

Almond paste rolled into a spiral in thin warqa pastry, baked golden and coated with honey and cinnamon.

Ingredients · for 8 servings

• 8 sheets phyllo pastry (or warqa)
• 300g ground almonds
• 150g powdered sugar
• 80g butter
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp orange blossom water
• 4 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp flaked almonds

Instructions

1. Knead the ground almonds, powdered sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, 50g soft butter, the egg yolk and the orange blossom water into a smooth paste; set the egg white aside.
2. Shape the paste into thumb-thick rolls about 25cm long and chill for 15 minutes so they hold their shape while rolling.
3. Layer two phyllo sheets on top of each other, brush thinly with the remaining melted butter, place an almond roll along the long edge, brush the edge with beaten egg white and roll up tightly.
4. Preheat the oven to 180°C (355°F); coil the first pastry roll into a spiral at the centre of a buttered baking sheet and attach the remaining rolls around the outside until a large spiral forms.
5. Brush the spiral with butter and bake for 25–30 minutes until the pastry is evenly golden brown and crackles when tapped.
6. Warm the honey briefly, brush it over the still-hot pastry, sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon and flaked almonds, and serve warm in slices.