530- Fekkas with Almonds / فقاص باللوز

Ingredients :

Basic Fekkas Dough Ingredients:
350 grams (3 cups) all-purpose flour
85 grams (1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons) white granulated sugar
A pinch of salt
5 grams (1 teaspoon) baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla sugar or vanilla extract
2 large eggs
90 ml vegetable oil

Filling Ingredients:
120 grams (4 oz.) almonds, soaked in water for 10 minutes
35 grams (1.2 oz.) sesame seeds
1 teaspoon anise seeds
60 grams (2 oz.) raisins

Egg Wash:
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon instant coffee
1/2 teaspoon orange blossom water (optional)

Directions :

Step 1: Mixing the Wet Ingredients
1- In a large bowl, combine the eggs and the sugar.
2- Mix by hand until the sugar is completely dissolved.

3- Add the vegetable oil, salt, and vanilla sugar.
4- Continue mixing.

Step 2: Adding the Filling
5- Prior to starting making the dough, soak the almonds in cold water and let them sit for 10 min so that it is easier to slice them later on when baked within the dough without forcing on the dough and breaking it.

6- Drain the almonds from the water, and add them along the sesame seeds, raisins, and anise seeds to the eggs mixture.

7- Mix all the ingredients together.

Step 3: Adding the Dry Ingredients
8- Add the flour and baking powder.

9- Continue mixing until all the ingredients are well incorporated.
10- If necessary, add more flour and keep kneading the dough until you get a smooth dough that does not stick to your fingers but at the same it is not dry.

Step 4: Shaping the Logs
11- Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Divide the dough into 4 portions (around 225 grams each). Roll each portion into a cylinder (around 13 cm / 5 inches long with a diameter of 4 cm / 1.5 inches).

12- Prepare the egg wash by combining the egg yolk, instant coffee, and orange blossom water.

13- Place the four cylinders in a baking pan covered with parchment paper and brush them with the egg wash.
14- Use a fork to gently draw crossing lines on the top of each roll.

Step 5: First Baking
16- Bake the rolls for about 25-30 minutes until they have a light golden color. Once done, wrap the rolls in a damp towel and let them set overnight for at least 10 to 12 hours. This is an important step as the dough needs to soften so we can slice it without breaking it.

Step 6: Slicing the Rolls
17- The next day, remove the towel from the rolls and slice each one diagonally.
18- Each slice has a width of around 0.5 cm (1/4 inches).

Step 7: Second Baking
19- Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Place the Fekkas slices in a baking pan covered with parchment paper. 20- Bake for about 15 minutes until the Fekkas have a light golden color.

Let cool completely before serving.