These are fancy cookies made with the same dough as Arayeche and Tcharek Mseker ( well known cookies in Algeria).
The shape and decoration is different. They are bracelets filled with almond paste and glazed with icing. The icing can be royal icing, powdered sugar icing or other.
These traditional cookies are prepared for special occasions in Algeria such as religious celebrations, engagements and weddings. They are served for tea or coffee.
K’EK- AT are pleasant to the eyes and melt in mouth.
Trim the sheet of dough into a rectangle, using a pizza wheel.
Place a log of filling at one edge of the rectangle of dough.
Bake in a 350°F preheated oven for about 15 to 20 minutes and let cool completely.
Dip the top of the cookies in the powdered sugar glaze, then flip it over and place it on a cooling rack. The cooling rack should be placed on a large tray to catch the dripping glaze.
Wait for about 5 minutes then add sugar glaze dots or strips ( make sure you put some of the glaze in a squeeze bottle with a small opening tip.
Let them dry completely.
Dust the cookies with the edible dust to get that glossy finish and place a decorative flower on each cookie( optional).
Note that I had excess almond filling that I have used for another recipe. Please use 1/2 the ingredients for the filling to avoid having left over.
🇩🇿 Algerian Glazed Bracelet Cookies – كعيكعات (K’EK- AT)
Ingredients
Dough
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup orange blossom water
- Water as needed
- 1 tsp vanilla powder
Filling
- 3 cups almond flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla powder
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 5 to 6 tbsp orange blossom water
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder (optional)
Glaze
- Around 3 cups powdered sugar ( more or less)
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Water
- Food coloring of your choice
Garnish
- Metallic food coloring or edible dust (color of your choice)
- Decorative flower bouquet for cookies.
Instructions
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Sift the flour, vanilla, salt and powdered sugar.
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Add the butter and mix with your hands until the butter is well incorporated.
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Add orange blossom water and mix it well.
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Add water, one tablespoon at the time until the dough gets together and is soft. Make sure to not knead the dough.
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Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let rest for at least 20 minutes on the counter.
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Prepare the filling by mixing the almond flour, sugar, vanilla powder, cinnamon and butter.
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Add orange blossom water, one tablespoon at the time until obtain a well gathered paste. Form thin logs and cover with plastic wrap.
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Get back to the dough and form small balls, the size of small tangerines.
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Cover the balls of dough with plastic wrap and roll out each ball individually into thin sheet.
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Trim the sheet of dough into a rectangle, using a pizza wheel.
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Place a log of filling at one edge of the rectangle of dough.
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Roll the dough over the filling into a thin cylinder.
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Seal the edges of the cylinder to form a circle and prick the bracelet formed from the bottom with a toothpick.
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Place in a baking sheet.
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Bake in a 350°F preheated oven for about 15 to 20 minutes.
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Let cool completly.
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Prepare the glaze by mixing the powdered sugar, lemon and water. For the water add 1 tablespoon at the time until obtain a nice smooth thick pourable texture.
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Add food coloring of your choice and mix well.
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Dip the top of each cookie in the glaze, then flip it over and place it on a cooling rack placed on a large tray to catch the dripping glaze.
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Let dry completely for few hours.
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Use a knife to clean up the cookies from excess icing in the bottom and edges.
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Dust the cookies with the metallic food coloring or edible dust ( color of your choice), using a small brush. This will give the cookies a glossy finish.
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Place a decorative flower for cookies on each cookie on top or in the center hole. Make sure to cut a part of the stem first before placing it.
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Enjoy.
Recipe Notes
- If the powdered sugar glaze is too runny, add powdered sugar. If it is too thick, add a small amount of water.
- I use US cups for measurements in this recipe.
- The total time in this recipe didn’t include the dough’s rest time and the time it took for the icing to dry.
- I had excess almond filling that I have used for another recipe. Please use 1/2 the ingredients for the filling to avoid having left over.
- If you choose to coat the bracelet cookies with powdered sugar, prepare sugar syrup. Mix 2 cups water with 1 cup granulated sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil then let simmer for 15 minutes. Add 1 tbsp orange blossom water in the last 2 minutes. Let cool before using it. Dip the bracelet cookies in syrup, drain and place them in SIFTED powdered sugar. Coat them well then sift more powdered sugar on top for better presentation.Â