Makrout (Algerian Semolina Pastries)

🧂 Ingredients

• 4 cups semolina flour
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 1 pinch salt
• ⅓ cup warm water

  or as needed
• 1 tablespoon orange flower water
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons vanilla sugar
• 4 cups finely ground almonds
• 1 ¼ cups white sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar
• 2 pinches ground cinnamon
• 1 dash almond extract
• 1 12 ounce jar honey
• 3 tablespoons orange flower water
• 2 cups oil for frying

  or as needed
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

  for garnish

Instructions

• 1 Combine semolina, oil, butter, and salt in a large bowl. Rub the grains of
  semolina between your fingers, so that all the grains are well coated. Cover
  with a kitchen towel and set aside. Let it rest like this for at least 2 hours,
  but ideally overnight. The mixture should be like wet, oily sand in the morning.
• 2 Combine warm water and orange blossom water when you are ready to make the
  makrout. Slowly add mixture to the semolina mixture along with flour and vanilla
  sugar and knead into a soft dough. Add just enough liquid for a soft, smooth
  dough. Don't overwork the dough-- knead it just enough to have a smooth and
  flexible dough that can easily be shaped into a ball. Set dough aside.
• 3 Combine ground almonds, sugar, vanilla sugar, cinnamon, and almond extract in a
  bowl for the filling. Roll mixture into 2 long logs and set aside.
• 4 Divide semolina dough into 2 balls, then flatten to pat into a rectangle, about
  3 times the width of your filling logs. Press down in the center of the
  rectangle with your fingers to form an indentation. Set filling log into the
  indentation. Fold dough over the filling and press the edges together to seal.
  Roll the log back and forth gently to shape the dough around the filling and
  smooth log into a uniform shape. You can cut the logs in half for easier
  handling.
• 5 Cut each log into diagonal pieces, creating diamond-like shapes. Reshape the cut
  ends to have a nice uniform look. Set the makrout aside to rest, as you heat up
  a deep, heavy saucepan with oil - about 3 fingers deep.
• 6 Combine honey and orange flower water in a small saucepan for the syrup. Heat
  over low heat until just below simmering and keep warm.
• 7 Once the oil is hot, deep-fry makrout in small batches until golden on all
  sides, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
  Continue frying until all the dough pieces are cooked.
• 8 Dip fried makrout into the hot honey syrup and submerge in the syrup for about 1
  minute. Remove and drain on wire racks. Repeat the process, dunking each makrout
  into the syrup a second time. Remove and drain on wire racks. Sprinkle with
  sesame seeds, if using.

Nutrition Info