North Africa · Dessert

Kaab el Ghazal (Crescent Almond Pastries Scented with Orange Blossom)

Name: Kaab el Ghazal (Crescent Almond Pastries Scented with Orange Blossom)
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Morocco
Ingredients: 500 g blanched whole almonds, skins removed and thoroughly dried; 250 g granulated white sugar; 50 g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature; 45 ml pure distilled orange blossom water; 3 g mastic tears (meska horra), crushed with a pinch of sugar; 2 g ground cinnamon; 250 g soft white pastry flour (Type 45 or all-purpose); 40 g ghee or clarified butter (smen), melted; 1 piece egg yolk; 2 g fine sea salt; 75 ml tepid water mixed with 15ml orange blossom water; vegetable oil for oiling work surface, to taste

Delicate, translucent crescent pastries encasing aromatic almond paste perfumed with orange blossom water and mastic gum.

Cook mode

moroccan-pastryalmond-dessertfassi-cuisinefestive-sweets

The story

Originating from the historic aristocratic kitchens of Fes and Rabat, Kaab el Ghazal (literally 'gazelle ankles') represents the pinnacle of Moroccan fine pastry craftsmanship. These confections are reserved for prestigious celebrations, religious holidays, and honoring distinguished guests alongside formal tea service. Traditional pastry masters insist on air-drying the shaped crescents overnight, a crucial technical requirement that allows the delicate flour sheath to dehydrate and remain paper-thin without blistering or browning in the oven.

Checking your membership…

Cook hands-free

Cook this next

Morocco·Dessert

Jawhara (Crisp Wafers Layered with Sweet Almond Milk Custard)

Crisp, golden warqa pastry rounds layered with a velvety orange-blossom milk custard and topped with toasted crushed almonds.

40 minMedium

Morocco·Drink

Atay bi Naa-Naa (Gunpowder Green Tea with Fresh Spearmint)

A ritualistic, frothy infusion of gunpowder green tea, bruised spearmint, and sugar poured from high to create the crowning rezza foam.

15 minEasy

Morocco·Street food

Babbouche (Herbal Broth-Stewed Land Snails)

Tender wild land snails simmered in an intensely aromatic, therapeutic broth infused with bitter orange peel, wild thyme, licorice root, and caraway.

2 h 15 minHard

Morocco·Breakfast

Baghrir (Semolina Honeycomb Thousand-Hole Pancakes)

Lacy, spongy semolina pancakes riddled with delicate honeycomb bubbles, saturated in warm orange blossom honey and melted butter.

40 minMedium