these Almond balls are garnished with a whole almond in the center of each one or with a red candied cherry.
After baking these cookies, you will put on each cookie about 1 tablespoon of baking honey or as it is called in Algeria Assila ( Arabic عسيلة). It is simply sugar syrup.
I like to use my homemade light sugar syrup, recipe here: https://www.myexcellentdegustations.com/homemade-sugar-syrup/
Mchewek is usually prepared with Almonds but it can be made with peanuts, Coconut , you name it.
It is soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside.
Algerian Almond Cookies called Mchewek
Ingredients
- 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup coarsely ground Almonds
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- About 2 cups all purpose flour (more or less)
Garnish
- 1 egg white, beaten
- About 1 cup coarsely ground Almonds
- About 1/2 cup whole almonds
- Candied red cherries(optional)
- Sugar syrup( please refer to my recipe above)
Instructions
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In a large bowl, mix butter with powdered sugar.
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Add egg yolks, a pinch of salt, vanilla extract and lemon zest then mix well.
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Mix in the almonds and baking powder.
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Add all purpose flour gradually and mix by hands until you obtain a very soft dough (don’t knead the dough).
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Form small balls of dough.
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Brush each ball with egg white or just wet them with your fingers (dip your fingers in egg white then wet each ball of dough with it).
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Drop the balls in a bowl of Almonds and make sure to coat them well.
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Place the coated balls of dough in mini baking cups.
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Transfer them to a baking sheet.
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Place a whole almond in the center of each ball.
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You can place a cut candied cherry in the center at this step or just make an indentation in the center, then you will place a cut candied cherry after baking.
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Bake in a 350°F preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until slightly golden. You may need to place under the broiler for few minutes.
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Immediately put about 1 tablespoon sugar syrup on each cookie. You may need to add more syrup for each cookie if it is quickly absorbed.
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Let the cookies absorb the syrup, then place each cookie in a clean baking cup for a better presentation.
Recipe Notes
- You can coat the balls of dough with almond flakes instead of coarsely ground almonds.
- Note that I blanched my almonds then roasted them in the oven first before grinding them coarsely.