354 – Almond Ghriba – Gluten Free Moroccan Cookies / غريبة اللوز المغربية

Ingredients :

• 9 oz (250 grams) almond powder
• 1 cup (125 grams) powdered sugar
• 1 egg white
• 2 teaspoons orange blossom water
• Pinch of salt
• Zest of 1 lemon or orange
• Powdered sugar for decoration
• Whole almonds for decoration

Directions :

Step 1: Making the Cookie Mixtur
1- We are using almond powder – you can buy it from the store or make it yourself. All you have to do is mix raw almonds in a food processor until they become powder.
2- In a bowl along with almond powder, add powdered sugar, pinch of salt, and zest of a lemon or orange (whatever you prefer).
3- Now add an egg white, and orange blossom water… hmmm… if you don’t have it, you can use a little bit of rose water or vanilla.
4- Mix well with your hands… you will think that this will never mix up, but it will magically become a paste. Give it 5 minutes. If it’s really dry add a little bit more of orange blossom water.
We get a smooth almond paste.
5- Wrap it and place it in the fridge for 1 hour.

Step 2: Rolling the Cookies
1- We get a smooth almond paste. Wrap it and place it in the fridge for 1 hour.
2- When you are ready prepare your pan, butter it then place the parchment paper.
3- Shape the almond paste into a ball, the size of a walnut and flatten it a bit. Then roll it in powdered sugar and place it in the baking pan. Look at these beauties!
4- Final touches, add a whole almond in the center of each cookie!
5- Bake the cookies for 15 minutes in a pre-heated oven at 350 F or 180 C.
6- And that’s it, our cookies are ready, let them cool down completely before serving.
Look at this, so soft, so almondy, so sweet… the perfect Moroccan cookie bite!

Bon appetite!