155. Gazelle Horns

According to Morocco Travel Tours, Gazelle’s Horns are a popular Moroccan pastry that is often served at weddings because of the love story that it symbolizes.
A young princess was in love with a certain young man, but her father married her off to another prince, who treated her badly.  She sent her handmaiden to her lover with news of where she was, and the young man set out to rescue his love.  He was almost there when he collapsed of exhaustion.  When the princess discovered this, she filled the hollow horns of the gazelles that were sent out to graze each morning with a fortifying paste of honey and almond for the young man to eat.  When he did so, he was revived.  He rescued the princess, and they were married.
Outside of Morocco, these crescent-shaped cookies are a delicacy of sorts, and are sold at a rather steep price.
May it bring you the good fortune it brought to young couple in the story!

Ingredients:

For the crust:
2 cups (250g) flour
5 Tbsp (60g) butter, melted
2 tsp orange blossom
2 tsp sugar
1 pinch salt
1 egg (large)
1/4 cup warm water

For the filling:
3 1/2 cups (400g) almond powder
7 Tbsp (90g) butter, melted
1 cup powdered sugar
4 tsp orange blossom
1 tsp cinnamon



Making the crust.

Making the filling.

Shaping the filling.

Enveloping the filling with the crust and shaping the cookie.

Setting the cookies to dry.

Before baking.

After baking.

Final dusting with sugar.

Method:

Make the crust first, put all the ingredients except the water in the food processor and whizz.
Add the water by tablespoons until a dough is formed.
Shape the dough into a ball, lightly oil, cover and refrigerate.

Make the filling by placing all the ingredients together in the same food processor bowl, and whizz until combined.
Make 40 (give or take two) rods about as big as an average thumb.

Divide dough into four balls, each of which will cover ten fillings.
Roll dough as thinly as possible, place almond rod, envelope with the dough, shape like a gazelle's horn (see picture). Poke with a toothpick front and back, to prevent the dough from puffing during baking.

Set out uncovered for an hour to dry.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in a preheated 320°F. The baked cookies will remain white and not colored, browned, or golden.
Cool, and lightly dust with powdered sugar before serving.

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