Ghriba (Moroccan Crackled Almond Cookies)

Ingredients

• 250 g almonds, ground
• 120 g powdered sugar, plus extra for rolling
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp lemon zest, finely grated
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp orange blossom water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 pinch salt

Method

1. 1.

   Whip the eggs and sugar — Whisk the whole egg, the yolk, the powdered sugar and the oil in a bowl until pale and creamy, then whisk in the orange blossom water and vanilla extract.

2. 2.

   Fold in the ground almonds — Fold in the ground almonds, baking powder, cinnamon, lemon zest and salt. The dough should be soft and tacky, like marzipan — if it slumps, add a spoonful more ground almonds.

3. 3.

   Chill the dough — Cover and chill for 20 minutes so the almonds absorb the moisture and the dough firms enough to roll. Meanwhile heat the oven to 170 °C and line two trays with baking paper.

4. 4.

   Roll and coat in sugar — With damp hands roll walnut-sized balls, then drop each into a bowl of powdered sugar and turn it until buried in a thick white coat — a mean coating is what makes the crackle.

5. 5.

   Bake until cracked — Space the balls well apart on the trays and flatten each very slightly. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until they have spread, cracked open across the top and are just set at the edge but still soft in the middle.

6. 6.

   Cool before lifting — Leave the ghriba on the trays for 15 minutes — they are fragile straight from the oven and firm up as they cool. Lift onto a rack and store in a tin.