AI-generated image
Algerian mkhabez
Iced almond and lemon diamonds
مخبز: iced almond and lemon diamonds for Eid and weddings
No Algerian wedding tray, and few Eid tables in Algiers or Constantine, is complete without mkhabez: soft, chewy diamonds of ground almond and lemon zest under a smooth white icing, each topped with a sugar flower or a silver ball and set in its own paper case. Making them is a social affair, with sisters and aunts icing and decorating hundreds the week before a celebration. The almond base is flourless and dairy free, sweet and lemony, and the icing sets to a thin shell; serve them with mint tea or strong coffee. Overbaking is the mistake to avoid: the diamonds should come out pale and soft, or they go dry and crumbly under the icing. Chef's tip: ice them when completely cold, and get the icing so thick it only just flows; runny icing slides off the sides and never sets glossy.
- Total time
- 105 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 24
Ingredients
For the almond base
- 10 ½ oz ground almondsblanched
- 5 ½ oz caster sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon zestfrom 1–2 lemons
- 2 eggsbeaten
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the icing
- 7 oz icing sugarsifted
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp orange blossom water
- 1 tsp neutral oilfor shine
To decorate
- 24 silver sugar balls or small sugar flowers (optional)
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (4)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 325°F (275°F fan) and line a tray with baking paper.
Step 2: Mix 10 ½ oz ground almonds, 5 ½ oz caster sugar, 1 tbsp lemon zest and ½ tsp gluten-free baking powder. Add 1 tsp vanilla extract and most of 2 eggs and work it into a soft, slightly sticky paste that holds its shape; add the rest of the egg only if it is crumbly.
Step 3: Dust the counter lightly with icing sugar and roll the paste into a slab 2 cm thick. Cut it into strips 3.5 cm wide, then cut across on the diagonal to make diamonds.
Step 4: Set the diamonds on the tray and bake for 13–15 minutes, until puffed slightly, set on the outside and only just golden on the base. The tops should still be pale and feel soft when pressed.
14 minStep 5: Leave until completely cold, at least 40 minutes.
40 minStep 6: For the icing, beat 7 oz icing sugar with 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp orange blossom water and 1 tsp neutral oil until smooth and very thick, adding drops of water only until it flows slowly from a spoon.
Step 7: Dip the top of each diamond into the icing, let the excess drip off and smooth it with a finger so a thin layer covers the top and runs a little way down the sides.
Step 8: Press 24 silver sugar balls or small sugar flowers onto the top while wet, if using. Leave to set at room temperature for 1–2 hours, until the icing is dry and does not mark when touched.
90 minStep 9: Set each in a paper case and keep in an airtight box for up to a week.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 150 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 17 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does algerian mkhabez take?
- About 105 minutes in total: 90 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 24 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of ground almonds?
- Ground cashews, same amount.
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Basque burnt cheesecake
This crustless cheesecake was created in the early 1990s at La Viña, a pintxos bar in the old town of San Sebastián (Donostia) in the Basque Country, and is now famous around the world. It's baked very hot so the top caramelises almost black and the sides rise and crack, while the middle stays soft and creamy, almost runny. There's no base and no water bath, and the rough, rustic look is the point: it's lined with crumpled baking paper. La Viña uses a spoonful of wheat flour; cornflour does the same job and keeps it gluten free. Chef's tip: take it out of the oven while the centre still wobbles like a soft set custard; it firms up as it cools, and if it looks set in the oven, the middle will be dry instead of creamy.
Spanish
Almond cookiesOat, coconut and almond cookies
A big batch of crunchy cookies with rolled oats, coconut, chopped almonds and chunks of cooking chocolate. For a change, use cashew nuts instead of almonds.
Reform tortaWalnut meringue chocolate cake
Belgrade pastry shops have sold reform torta since the early twentieth century, and it is still the cake Serbian families bring out for birthdays, weddings and the slava. Three thin layers of walnut meringue, crisp at the edge and chewy inside, are stacked with a dense chocolate butter cream made with egg yolks cooked over steam until thick. It is very rich, so cut thin slices and serve with strong coffee. The usual slip is beating the butter into a chocolate mixture that is still warm, which melts it and splits the cream; let it cool to room temperature first. Chef's tip: assemble the cake the day before; overnight in the fridge the meringue softens a little and the cake slices cleanly with a hot knife.