Tcharek el Aryen (Almond cookies)
Tcharek el Aryen is traditional Algerian cookies made with almonds and typically served during special occasions like Eid. Personally, it is my favorite!
Ingredients:
Prep time: 45 mnts Cook time: 15 mnts
Servings: 20 pieces
For the dough:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup melted ghee or melted margarine
1 cup mix water and orange blossom water
1 tbs lemon zeste
pinch of salt
1 egg
crushed almonds
For the almond stuffing:
2 cups almond flour
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
orange blossom water
Step by step directions:
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, ghee, lemon zeste, salt, and mix using your hands.
Gradually add in the mix of water and orange blossom water, and continue to mix until the dough starts to form and comes together. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes until it is smooth.
Divide the dough into small balls (40 grams), let sit.
in a small bowl combine almond flour, powdered sugar, vanilla and mix using a spoon.
Add in orange blossom water and mix until a dough starts to form. Set a side.
Back to the original dough, roll out each dough into a thin triangle, about 0.5 cm thin.
Roll a small amount of almond filling over the base of the triangle
start rolling the triangle from the base using both end sides until the shape of a roll is formed
Shape it into a crescent
Continue shaping all the left balls and almond dough into crescents.
Brush the top of the crescents with egg yolk
Dip the top of the crescents in crushed almonds
Transfer to a baking sheet on parchment paper
Preheat over at 360
Bake until light golden
Once tchareks are light golden, take off oven, and let sit for few hours.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Serve with mint tea or coffee!
Bessaheltkoum! (In Algerian it means “Enjoy”)
