Ingredients

Method

For the stuffing:
• vegetable oil, for frying
• 500 g blanched almonds
• 250 g sugar
• ¼ t gum arabic powder
• 40 g butter
• 2 T orange blossom water
For the pastry:
• 4 large sheets phyllo pastry
• 1 free-range egg, beaten
• butter, melted
For serving:
• 250 g orange blossom honey
• toasted slivered almonds, chopped
• cinnamon ice cream

Method

Ingredients

1. To make the stuffing, heat a little oil in a pan, then add half the almonds and fry for 3–4 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to soak up any excess oil, then grind the fried almonds with half the sugar and set aside.

2. Grind the remaining blanched almonds with the remaining sugar to create a smooth paste. Mix the 2 pastes together, along with the gum arabic, butter and orange blossom water until fully combined. Allow the paste stand for 1 hour, then mould the mixture into 2 cm balls.

3. Preheat the oven to 190°C. Line a sheet pan (baking tray) with parchment (baking) paper. On a work surface, cut 1 phyllo sheet in half and turn the 2 pieces lengthways. On the edge of the phyllo sheets, place the small almond balls and roll the sheets into a tube. Take one end of the rolled sheets and begin turning it in a circular motion, until you have made a spiral. Seal the end with the egg wash. Repeat this for the remaining phyllo sheets.

4. Place the spirals on the lined sheet pan. Brush each with the butter and bake for 20–25 minutes, until golden.

5. While still warm, generously pour the orange blossom honey on top and decorate with the slivered almonds. Serve with cinnamon ice cream.

Find more pastry recipes here

Extracted with permission from The Contemporary African Kitchen by Alexander Smalls and published by Phaidon.

Photographer: Rich Kissi