Algerian-inspired Makrout ellouz

Today, I decided to make a post about Makrout ellouz (Almond Makrout) which I enjoy, especially when it's made with almond paste (not the store-bought marzipan) because it’s again one of these melt-in-the-mouth type of sweets that you should try at least once. Besides, if you do it properly, you should be able to have a thin crunchy crust of icing that will form while you are coating (chemistry) and a melting almond filling especially if it's not made of almond powder but rather an almond paste (usually made using the same machine making ground/minced meat).

Makrout or makrouds are sweets usually made of a semoulina dough stuffed with date paste. It’s an
Algerian sweet that we find in Morocco as well, mostly in the Eastern part. Makrout ellouz is done differently.

Last week, I made Makrout ellouz with a homemade almond powder: I semi-roasted the blanched almond which I coated with oil. Then I grounded them to a powder. But this is not the traditional way. It turned nice and different, you can tell by the colour. I wonder how this will turn out if we make these makrouts with an almond/hazelnut paste, or almond/walnuts….

Ingredients

About 30 pieces

Prep: 15 min - Resting time: 1 h - Baking: 10 min 

• 750g of almond paste (70% almond/ 30% sugar)
• A pinch of salt
• 3 eggs (about 120g)
• Zest of 2 lemons
• 1 tbsp of orange blossom water
• Starch or icing sugar to dust work surface

Option 1 for soaking: syrup

• 500g water
• 250g caster sugar
• 2 to 3 tbsp of orange blossom water

Option 2 for soaking:orange blossom

• 1 cup of orange blossom

To finish

• About 300g of icing sugar

Preparation

Making the dough and shaping

Mix all ingredients; let the dough rest about 30 min.

Dust work surface with icing sugar or starch to avoid dough from sticking.

Shape long sausages (1 to 1.5 cm thick), cut into 2 cm long. Place on a greased baking sheet or preferably covered with parchment. If you want Mlabbess, just shape small balls  of 2 cm diameter instead.

Unusual makrout ellouz with semi-roasted almonds and turned to almond powder

Bake in a preheated oven at 160 C for 10 min. Makrout ellouz (or Mlabbess balls like Tunisian do) has to be slightly coloured from the corners, that’s it. Set aside to cool.

Making the syrup

Mix water and sugar and bring to a boil for about 10 to 15 min.

Turn off the heat and add the orange blossom. Stir and set aside.

Finishing Makrout ellouz

Dump the makrouts batch by batch into the syrup (option 1) or just orange blossom water (option 2), drain and throw then into the icing sugar. The not overlap them at any moment.

Coating makrouts for the 2nd time

Get rid of the excess, and cover again for a 2nd and even a 3rd time.

Keep in a metallic box because you don’t want any condensation to break the icing. Serve it in nice individual paper cases.