M’hancha with almonds

Ingredients

• For the filling:
• 500 g blanched almonds
• 250 g sugar
• 1/4 tsp mastic
• 2 tbsp orange blossom water
• 40 g butter
• For rolling:
• 4 large sheets of pastilla pastry (warqa)
• 100 g melted butter
• 1 beaten egg
• To decorate:
• 250 g orange blossom honey
• toasted flaked almonds

Method

1. Fry half of the almonds in hot oil, drain and grind finely with half the sugar.
2. Grind the remaining almonds with the rest of the sugar into a smooth almond paste.
3. Mix both pastes with the mastic, butter and orange blossom water and leave to rest for 1 hour.
4. Shape the paste into rolls 2 cm thick.
5. Lay two half sheets of pastry lengthwise to form a long band, place the almond rolls along the edge and roll the pastry around them into a long roll.
6. Coil the roll into a snail and stick the end down with beaten egg; shape four m’hancha this way.
7. Place on a tray lined with baking paper, brush with butter and bake in an oven preheated to 190 °C for about 20 to 25 minutes until golden.
8. While still hot, pour plenty of warm honey over them and sprinkle with flaked almonds.