The name Dziriettes literally means โfrom Algiersโ as Algiers is the place of origin of these cookies.
The dough of these cookies is shaped into thin discs, to which we place a ball of almond filling in the center.
The disc of dough is folded toward the ball of almond filling, and pinched all around with the help of a toothpick or just your fingers ( index and tumb).
These cookies have a variety of decorations. They are decorated with almonds, sugar pearls, or other.
After the cookies are baked, they are drenched in a light sugar syrup, and they are served with tea or coffee.
The traditional Dziriettes are hand pinched and the modern ones takes the form of the mold used ( mold for Dziriettes).
Dziriettes are time consuming to prepare but itโs well worth the time.
These cookies are present in major celebrations in Algeria such as weddings, engagements and religious celebrations.
Use a round cookie cutter (of about 3 inches) to cut out the dough as shown in the picture above.
With a kitchen brush, brush egg white on the disc of dough, around the ball of filling paste.
Pinch the small folds of dough with your thumb and index fingers all around the cookie dough and that forms the traditional Dziriettes.
Make incisions In the filling for the modern Dziriettes with a knife and decorate with a whole almond in the center.
Cover the Dziriettes and let rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Bake in a 350ยฐF preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until golden.
For the syrup I have used my homemade sugar syrup https://www.myexcellentdegustations.com/homemade-sugar-syrup/
๐ฉ๐ฟ Algerian Almond filled Cookies- Dziriettes
Ingredients
For the dough
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tbsp orange blossom water
- 1 tsp vanilla powder
- 3/4 cup water (more or less depending on your flour)
For the filling
- 3 cups almond flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- Zest of 1 lemon
More ingredients
- 2 cups sugar syrup, please refer to my homemade sugar syrup link above.
- Whole blanched almond for garnish (optional)
- 1 egg white for brushing
Instructions
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In large bowl, sift the flour and salt.
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Add the melted butter and mix well with hands until the butter is well incorporated.
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Add orange blossom water and the water gradually.
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Mix well with hands and stop adding water once the dough gets together. The dough obtained should not be too soft, it has to get together and should be a little hard. Make sure to not over mix the dough.
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Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour but preferably overnight.
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Prepare the filling ingredients by mixing the almond flour, sugar, lemon zests.
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Beat the eggs in a small bowl and add them gradually to the almond flour mixture.
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Once the mixture gets together, stop adding eggs. I have used in this recipe 2 eggs but depending of your eggs you may add more or less.
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Cover the filling paste with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
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Dump the dough on a floured working board and roll out the dough to about 1/8 inch thick.
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Pass the dough in the pasta machine to make it thinner. Choose the thinnest size possible.
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Use a round cookie cutter (of about 3 inches) to cut out the dough.
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Make small balls out of the filling paste, the size of small walnuts.
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Place a Ball of filling paste in the center of each cut out disc.
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With a kitchen brush, brush egg white on the disc of dough, around the ball of filling paste.
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Use a toothpick to help shape the Dziriettes. Fold the disc of dough around the filling with the toothpick from the outside and form sort of small folds.
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Pinch the small folds of dough with your thumb and index fingers, all around the cookie dough and that forms the traditional Dziriettes.
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Place an almond in the center of the filling (optional).
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Cover the cookies formed with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
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Bake in a 350ยฐF preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until golden.
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Drench the baked Dziriette in a slightly warmed syrup.
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Enjoy.
Recipe Notes
- The Algerian traditional Dziriettes are made without the use of Dziriettesโ mold. It is obviously easier and faster ย to use the mold.
- While forming the Dziriettes, make sure to keep the rest of the dough in a plastic bag so that it doesnโt dry out.
- The almond filling was enough to make 24 cookies. I have left over dough that I placed in a ziploc bag and put it ย in the freezer for later use.ย
- You can divide the dough ingredients in half to avoid having left over dough.
- The total time in this recipe didnโt include the resting time of the dough.
- I use US cups for measurements.
