Kaak Halkoom
(Libyan Gazelle Horn Pastries) Recipe

Origin: Libya      Period: Traditional

These are classic North African pastries, also often known by their French name of cornes de gazelles that are named after their crescent shapes that resemble the horns of a gazelle.

Ingredients:

For the Pastry:
200g butter
450g flour
2 tbsp orange-flower water
1 tsp baking powder
cold water

For the Filling:
500g ground almonds (halkoom)
250g caster sugar
4 tbsp orange-flower water
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Kaak Halkoom
(Libyan Gazelle Horn Pastries) Preparation:

Method:

Gently melt the butter in a pan. Add to a bowl then sift in the flour and baking powder. Mix to combine then add the orange flower water and just enough cold water to bring the mixture together as a soft dough. Turn onto a work surface and knead until smooth and elastic then return to the bowl, cover and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

In the meantime, combine all the filling ingredients in a bowl and knead to a stiff paste. This will take some time, as it's the warmth of your hands that helps release the oils from the almonds that actually binds the mixture together.

When ready turn the dough onto a lightly-floured work surface and roll out very thinly. Cut into long strips about 8cm deep. Meanwhile, tear-off walnut-sized pieces of the filling and roll with your hands in to sausage shapes about 8cm long. Place the almond sausages about 3cm apart along the length of the dough strips setting them about 1cm in.

Use a little water to moisten the ends of the tough. Take the far end of the pastry and fold over the almond rolls. Use your fingers to press down all the way around the almond fillings so that they sit up as humps in the pastry. Use a sharp knife to cut around the filling then press the edges down with the tines of a fork to seal.

Carefully curve the pastries into crescent shapes then transfer to a lightly-greased baking tray and set in an oven pre-heated to 180°C. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until lightly-golden. Remove from the oven, dust with icing sugar and set aside to cool before serving.

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