The Food Of Morocco
"The Snake" (M'Hanncha)
Page 470
Cuisine: Moroccan/Algerian/Tunisian | Course Type: Desserts
View photos (5)Tags: almond paste fillo dough
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Zosia from Toronto, ON
Crisp layers of delicate pastry envelope a moist, lightly sweetened almond filling flavoured with orange flower water. This cake is surprisingly easy to assemble and results in a really impressive presentation.
The almond paste is very easy to make in the food processor: blanched almonds are ground with granulated sugar, mixed with powdered sugar, rose or orange flower water, clarified butter, gum arabic and chilled. The author suggests you make the filling a few days in advance to allow the flavour to improve.
A word about the gum arabic...... I found it in powdered form but had no idea what quantity “2 small pieces” represented. The ingredient is used as an emulsifier and also imparts an elastic or chewy quality to a mixture. I would guess it’s for this latter property that it’s called for in this filling. The almond paste is quite crumbly and I can see how a little elasticity would help in the formation and the bending of the cylinders of paste. I omitted the ingredient.
I used warqa sheets (page 130) but must admit to having a backup package of fillo in the freezer : ). 2 rounds of warqa are placed side by side with a slight overlap. 1/8 of the almond filling is divided in 2, each piece rolled into a cylinder ~6” long and placed end to end along the width of the warqa sheets. This is then rolled to create a tube, tucking the pastry in at the end. The first piece becomes the centre of the coil. 7 more tubes are made and coiled around the original. I started the snake in a 12” cake pan but switched to the ring of a 10” springform pan which was a much better fit.
I found the assembly instructions to be quite clear. All I would add is that the cylinders of paste don’t need to be perfect…a little squarish is okay….it’s easier to roll the almond filled pastry tube to form a perfectly round cylinder. Also, I would suggest keeping the filling chilled as it becomes more difficult to work with as it warms up.
Once the coil is formed, it’s brushed with a cinnamon/egg wash and baked. Part way through baking, the coil is inverted and baked until done. I chose to decorate with powdered sugar and a sprinkling of cinnamon, though chopped almonds are suggested as well.
This was a really special treat that I served with Moroccan mint tea. I wouldn’t hesitate to make it again, though I would use that backup package of fillo in my freezer next time!
(edited 16th March 2012) (3) comment (4) useful
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