[ENG] Almond Crinkle Cookies (Ghriba Louz) | Flavors of Morocco

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ABOUT FLAVORS OF MOROCCO:
Flavors of Morocco is the leading online cooking school dedicated to authentic Moroccan cuisine. Our expert Moroccan chefs, known as dadas, will teach you all the secrets of making Moroccan food no matter where you are.
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ABOUT THIS RECIPE:
Almond Ghriba is a beloved biscuit that is essential for family gatherings and special occasions in Morocco. Often alongside a piping hot cup of Moroccan mint tea.

Ghriba, which in Moroccan means ""strange,"" is a term used to refer to a variety of round-shaped crinkle cookies.
These cookies are often considered gluten-free treats since they typically rely on a nut paste as their base; however, it's important to use gluten-free ingredients like baking soda and starch for them to be safely gluten-free.

This version of Ghriba, is made with almonds, which are blended with sugar to form the chewy base of the cookie. The paste is then flavored with lemon zest, and rolled into bite sized bites, before being coated in powdered sugar.

Once baked, the cookie must be allowed to cool completely so that it doesn't crumble. Then all that's left is to enjoy it with the hot drink of your choice!

Follow the dada's instructions, and learn to make this delicious cookie at home!

Ingredients
For the Ghriba dough
500g (1 lb) blanched almonds, air dried overnight to remove any excess moisture
200g (3/4 cups) white granulated sugar
Zest of 1 lemon (replace with lime or orange zest if desired)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon honey (replace it with apricot jam if desired)
1 tablespoon orange blossom water
Pinch of salt
8g (2 teaspoons) baking powder
4 pieces mastic gum (+ 1 teaspoon granulated sugar)
1 egg + 1 egg yolk (if needed)
60ml (1/4 cup) orange blossom water for shaping the dough

For the special icing sugar
100g (1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons) powdered sugar
20g (3 tablespoons) cornstarch
1g (1/4 teaspoon) baking powder

Steps
Step 1 : Preparing the Ghriba
1- In a food processor, blend the almonds to a very fine powdery consistency. Make sure to occasionally mix with a spatula to make sure that all the almonds are blended.
2- Add the sugar and lemon zest, then blend a second time until a sticky paste is formed.
3- Place the almond mixture in a large bowl.
4- Add the melted butter, honey, orange blossom water, salt, and baking powder.
5- Place the mastic gum on cutting board. Add 1 tsp of sugar, then carefully crush them with the back of a measuring cup until you obtain a fine powder.
6- Add 1/2 tsp of the mastic gum powder to the almond mixture.
7- Mix the ingredients by hand until well combined.
8- Add one egg, and combine the ingredients until you have a smooth dough that is easy to shape into balls.
Note: If the mixture is not sticky enough, add the additional egg yolk and mix once more.
9- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Step 2 : Shaping the Ghriba
1- Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F), making sure to turn on both the bake and broil functions (top and bottom heat).
2- Dip your hands in the orange blossom water, then form small balls of dough of about 19g (0.67 ounces) in weight or the size of a walnut.
3- Whisk together all the ingredients of the special icing sugar, and place it in a deep dish.
4- Roll the Ghriba balls in the special icing sugar until they are completely covered, then place them on a baking sheet lined with baking paper.
Note: Make sure to leave some space in between the cookies as they will expand while baking.
5- Gently press each ball with your thumb to create cracks on the surface.
6- Place the tray in the top part of the oven, then drop the oven temperature to 160°C (320°F).
7- Bake for about 5 minutes or until cracks start appearing on top of the cookie.
8- Turn off the broiler (top part of the oven), then continue baking for an additional 5 minutes.
9- Leave the cookies in the tray, and set them aside to cool completely before serving them or storing them.