074 – Chebakia – Moroccan Sweet

Ingredients :

1 pound of flour
4 oz of blanched almonds
4 oz of sesame seeds
1 teaspoon of dry yeast
1 teaspoon of baking powder
Large pinch of saffron
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder
1/2 tablespoon of ground anise seeds
Orange blossom water
1/2 cup of olive oil
1/2 cup of melted butter
1 tablespoon of vinegar
1 egg yolk
Oil for frying
Honey
Roasted sesame seeds

Directions :

Steps for making the dough:

1- On medium heat, roast the almonds and sesame seeds in a pan until they become golden.
2- Grind them in the food processor until you get a powdery texture.
3- Mix together the flour, almonds/sesame powder, baking powder, salt, cinnamon powder, and ground anise seeds.
4- Dilute the dry yeast and the saffron in some water.
5- Add the yeast, saffron, olive oil, butter, vinegar, and egg yolk to the flour mixture. Mix well until all ingredients are incorporated.
6- Add the orange blossom water little by little while kneading the dough. Knead the dough energetically for 15 minutes until you get a smooth and malleable dough.
7- Cut the dough into 4 equal portions and roll them into balls. Cover them with a clean cloth and let the dough
rest for 15 minutes.

Steps for shaping the Chebakia:

1- Roll the dough into a very thin layer using a baking pin.
2- To shape the chebakia, you could use a mold or a roller. Please refer to the video for instructions.

Steps for cooking the Chebakia:

1- Heat the oil.
2- Warm the honey. You can flavor the honey with orange blossom water or mastic gum.
3- When the oil is hot, fry the chebakia from both sides until it becomes golden brown. The chebakia should be a little crispy. If you bite on it, it should not be ‘doughy’ – if so, it means that it did not cook thoroughly.
4- Once the chebakia is fried, transfer it immediately in the honey.
5- Remove the chebakia from the honey and sprinkle it with roasted sesame seeds.