Moroccan Desserts, Cookies, Pastries and Sweets

Moroccan Desserts, Cookies, Pastries and Sweets
Fresh fruit is the traditional ending to a Moroccan meal, but you'll want to have lots of Moroccan cookies and pastries on hand to go with afternoon tea or coffee. From rich almond pastries like m'hencha to crunchy biscotti-like fekkas, there's sure to be a traditional Moroccan cookie recipe to satisfy your sweet tooth.
The French introduced waffles (gaufres) to Morocco, where you can find them in bakeries or sold by vendors as a snack or street food. Instead of syrup, they're often served with a dusting of powdered sugar, whipped cream or a drizzle of chocolate sauce or Nutella.

Waffles are quite easy to make at home, which is really the best way to enjoy these tasty batter cakes. Consider replacing all or some of the white flour with whole wheat flour. If offering the waffles as a base for a savory topping, omit the vanilla and reduce the sugar to 1 or 2 teaspoons.

The recipe calls for folding beaten egg whites into the batter; this yields a lighter textured waffle. If you prefer a denser waffle, simply use the whole eggs when mixing the wet ingredients.

Note that the yield may vary according to your waffle iron. Serve the waffles for breakfast, tea time or when breaking the fast in Ramadan.

For other French-influenced tea time or breakfast treats, also try the Crepes or Beignets recipes.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Yield: 8 waffles, approx. 4" x 6"

Ingredients:

3 eggs, separated
250 g (2 cups) all purpose flour
2 to 3 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
85 g (6 tablespoons) melted butter or vegetable oil
355 ml (1 1/2 cups) milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Preparation:

Beat the egg whites with an electric whisk until stiff. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat together the egg yolks, melted butter, milk and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and stir just until well-blended, but not smooth. The batter will be lumpy; this is okay.

With a rubber spatula, gently fold the beaten egg whites into the batter until evenly incorporated.

Preheat your waffle iron. When ready, spoon batter onto the iron and cook the waffles until golden brown. Serve as the waffles come off the iron, or transfer the waffles to a rack to cool. Note that the waffles will soften and lose their crisp exterior as they cool.

To warm and crisp cooled waffles, preheat your oven to 350° F (180° C). Place the waffles directly on the oven rack, not in a pan, and heat just until hot to the touch, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately with toppings of your choice.
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