What is the easiest way to prepare the Moroccan Biscuit Fekkas ?

            Moroccan cuisine has been influenced over time by several cultures :  Berber and AMAZIGH CULTURE , Jewish culture , Arabe  and  Andalusian culture , Ottoman and Middle Eastern culture . This is due to the fact that Morocco is an open county to other cultures and welcomes and embrace differences of others as well .  We can perceive and  catch sight of history in various dishes , in Morocco we don’t only have Moroccan dishes but a variety from many countries .  But this did not prevent this beautiful country from creating its own specialties and having its own identity and adding a Moroccan own touch. Among the main dishes of Morocco , we have chebakia,  harira, gazelle horns, Makrout,   Pastilla and many other yummy dishes .

           If you are looking for an authentic Moroccan sweet,  delicious, fragrant and easy to make, you are probably looking for Fekkas , which are the subject of this article . 

Fekkas:

           Al – Faqas is a Moroccan dessert , its ingredients are simple and accessible to the majority , which has made it popular in Morocco , and it is a dessert characterized by its unique shape and texture .

       Al – fekkasis a one hundred percent  Moroccan dessert . I can be served on many occasions such as baptisms, wedding parties as well as family gatherings . fekkas can also be made in religious holidays, such as Eid al – Fitr and Eid al adha , accompanied by other popular Moroccan dishes such as  gazelle horns ,   baghrir,  gheriba… You can also notice it at the table on normal days , usually served in the evening , accompanied by  the moroccan mint tea , which adds a special flavor and easily melts it in your mouth while you spend a pleasant family evening  watching a Moroccan movie or simply chatting.

          What makes this Moroccan dessert even more delicious is that it is cooked in the popular traditional huge oven , this oven that you will find  everywhere while having a walk in the old alleys and  old medina streets , and you may   know , discover , guess that there is a traditional oven in the alley where you walk before you even see it , simply by the smell of wood that you will distinguish from afar . 

        The texture of this Moroccan biscuit  is a little special .  It is similar to a cookie ,  a little dry and crunchy .  There’s a whole variety , such as  fekkas with almonds , fekkas with dried fruits ,  and sometimes fekkas with spices ,  fekkas with herbs etc. But the one that are salty , are not really known . They are rarely consumed .

The 3 main and principale ingredients of this moroccan biscuit are :

Now , here’s the best way to make this delicious biscuit :  

List of ingredients you will need:

• 1 cup of  unpeeled almonds– cut into large pieces.  
• 1/4 Raisin Cup .
• Cup of salt .
• Half a teaspoon of yeast candies for cakes .
• 3 eggs.
• 1 cup of table oil.
• Half a kilo of flour  .
• 1 glass of sugar .
• Fast melting coffee (soluble coffee, for gilding).  
• A little bit of milk .
• 1 glass of rose water.
• 1 egg yolk .
• Half a teaspoon of  vanilla sugar .

Now let’s move on to the preparation method :

• Put the chopped almonds and raisins in flowering water for 2 hours, then drain and set aside .

2- In a large bowl , add   two eggs ,  a pinch  of salt ,    sugar,  oil  , vanilla sugar and then mix everything well,  using your  hand or with the help of a manual whip .  

3- Add the  almonds and  raisins  (according  to your taste, these dried fruits are  optional)  and stir the mixture well then add yeast and 250 g of flour (half the amount of the bag)  and mix the ingredients until they are homogenous and then form  a ball of firm paste.

4- Gradually add the flour that you have left  until  you get a solid and not wet  dough,  a dough  that  no  longer sticks.

5- Form several small balls  – it is better if they are all the same size – .

6- On a plate or an oily tray ,  covered with butter paper, put  the balls  you  have prepared. 

7- In another bowl, mix the fast – melting coffee  (soluble coffee, for gilding),  add  a little milk and an egg yolk, then paint the top surface only with a brush  using this mixture – it will allow it to have a beautiful golden color  when cooked). 

8- Set the oven to a 180 degrees temperature and bake your fekkas until it is well cooked. Leave your biscuits for 15 minutes .

9- Remove the plate  from the oven, let it  cool  slightly and then  cut  them  into strips , about 0.4 cm thick (cut out the biscuit as in the photo above).

10 – Put it back again in the oven,  keeping  the same temperature until each piece on both sides is gilded.

11- When you take it out of the oven, let it cool and then stock it in an airtight box, protected from moisture for a few weeks. It is best to consume it as long as it is fresh .

And there you go, bon appétit.

              The fekkas, as you could see is very easy to prepare . You just need to prepare your ingredients  and follow the recipe carefully . It is both healthy and yummy . You can eat it with different things ; mint tea,   orange blossom infusion ,  juice etc.

          If we ask you to rate this moroccan sweet on a scale of 1 to 20, what mark will you give it?  

          Don\’t forget to share with us photos of your fekkas when you\’ll cook it, take care.