Algerian Helouwa Taaba Lemon Or Sesame Cookies Recipes

SESAME LEMON CRISPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) Grease cookie sheets. Set aside.
• Spread sesame seeds in 9x9 inch baking pan. Toast in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Melt butter and cool a bit. Stir in sugar, lemon rind, egg, sesame seeds, flour, and baking powder.
• Drop by 1/2 teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 1 to 2 minutes before removing from cookie sheets. Cool cookies on wire racks.

AUNT ANNE'S SESAME COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and anise extract until well blended. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt; stir into the butter mixture until well incorporated. If you are using a stand mixer, let the dough mix for another minute to add lightness to the dough. The dough will be soft, but will hand roll easily.
• Pinch off pieces of dough slightly smaller than a walnut, and roll them into small logs. Dip in milk, then roll in sesame seeds. Place cookies one inch apart on a cookie sheet. Cookies will not spread very much.
• Bake for 17 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until bottom and sides of cookies are lightly toasted. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

ALGERIAN HELOUWA TA'ABA (LEMON OR SESAME COOKIES)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the eggs & the oil.
• Add the baking powder (& lemon zest if using), & slowly add the flour, mixing the ingredients with your hands until a dough forms. You will probably not need all of the flour.
• Once you have a firm dough, you can shape your helouwa.
• To shape, you have 2 choices: you can roll out to 5mm thickness & cut out with your favourite cookie cutters OR you can roll into a 1cm thick 'sausage' & make rings & straight lengths them decorate with a 'Nakkach' or fork if you don't have one. (See photos).
• If making the sesame version, once you have cut out all your cookies, brush a little beaten egg over the top of the cookies & sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
• Place on a tray lined with aluminium foil (shiny side up) & bake for 25-28 minutes. The cookies should be pale but hard when tapped. (Unless you want them soft on the inside, in which case you should take them out after 20 minutes).
• Allow to cool then store in an airtight container for upto 2 weeks.

KHOBZ TUNIS - ALGERIAN HELOUWA - MY FAMILY RECIPE

Steps:

• For the syrup:.
• Put the sugar and the water into a large pan and boil for approx 10-15 minutes. Add the mazhar during the last couple of minutes. Allow to cool of slightly before pouring onto the khobz.
• For the Khobz:.
• If making ground almonds at home - preferable - please coarsely chop them in a food processor until you have pieces the size of sago or large cous cous for example (ie not too fine).
• With an electric whisk, beat the eggs until fluffy. Incorporate the sugar and butter into the eggs, whisking for at least 5 minutes.
• Fold in the ground almonds, bread/toast, baking powder, lemon zest and vanilla essence. Take care not to knock the air out of the mixture.
• Pour into a round metal tin approximately 50cm across and 35cm high. and level off. Cook in preheated oven at gas mark 5-6 for 40 minutes or until brown & a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the middle.
• Once cooked, turn off oven. Remove the Khobz and pour the syrup over the top. Return the khobz to the oven for 5 mins - not to cook further only to aid absorbtion of the syrup.
• Remove from oven and using diagonal cuts, cut the khobz tunis to make diamond shapes approximately 1.5'' in diameter. Put into metallic paper cases (so syrup doesn't soak through) or serve without cases.