Peta Unplugged in Marrakech

Episode 4 — Cornes de Gazelles - Gazelles’ Horns

Cornes de Gazelles - Gazelles’ Horns

Makes approx 40 pastries

For the almond paste:

  • 250g (1 cup) blanched almonds
  • 125g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
  • 1 small egg
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 3 tbsp melted butter or vegetable oil
  • 30 ml (2 tbsp) rose water
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract
  1. Place almonds in food processor and process till powdered. Add other ingredients and blend till a sticky paste.
  2. Roll heaped teaspoons of the almond paste into little sausages, fat in the middle and tapered at each end. Chill  in fridge while making pastry.

For the pastry:

  • 300g (2 1/4 cups) white flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp melted butter or vegetable oil
  • 90 ml (1/3 cup) orange water 
  • 90 ml (1/3 cup) cold water
  • oil in a little bowl for rolling the pastry
  • rolling pin
  • 3 1/2 inch (8 cm) diameter pastry cutter  
  • pastry brush
  • baking sheet
  • icing sugar for dusting

Place all ingredients in the food processor and blend till a ball forms. 2. Knead by hand or with a dough hook in the mixer for 10 mins. The pastry will be elastic and soft. Divide into 4, rub in oil and leave on a plate.

To make the gazelles’ horns:

This is an unusual pastry in that it has a lot of water and very little fat so requires a particular way of rolling.

  1. Sprinkle a little flour on the bench, take some oil from the bowl with your fingers and rub onto the rolling pin.
  2. Roll out one of the quarters of pastry, pushing with the rolling pin to stretch the pastry. Sprinkle with a little flour if necessary, flip and keep rolling and stretching till pastry is thin like cardboard.
  3. Preheat the oven to 200˙C (400F) and grease a baking sheet.
  4. Press rounds out with the pastry cutter. Brush the outer edges with water, place a sausage of almond paste towards the top half, fold pastry over and pinch edges together with fingertips. 
  5. Shape the pastries into a horn or crescent with your fingers and place on baking sheet. Prick each horn with a fork to prevent them expanding and splitting.
  6. Keep going till you have used up the rest of the pastry.
  7. Bake for 10 - 15 mins or till pale gold. Don’t allow the pastries to brown or they will harden.
  8. Dust immediately with lots of icing sugar and serve piled up on an ornate tray.