Dziriat (Algerian Almond Tarts)

Method17 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Prepare the almonds the day before making the tarts. Bring the separate six cups almond-blanching water to a boil in a pan.

   Uses 6 cups separate water for blanching raw almonds

2. 2

   Step 2: Take the pan of blanching water off the heat and add all four cups raw almonds. Soak for about five minutes, then drain and slip off the almond skins, discarding the blanching water and skins.

   Soak raw almonds before peeling · 5 minUses All six cups actual blanching water · 4 cups raw almonds for blanching and drying; measure 3 cups after grinding for filling and retain any extra

3. 3

   Step 3: Heat the oven to 200°F / 95°C. Spread all the actual peeled almonds on baking sheets and bake until completely dry and lightly toasted, checking often to prevent burning. This drying stage takes several hours and is done the day before; use the dry, lightly toasted endpoint rather than an invented fixed duration.

   Uses All peeled drained almonds

4. 4

   Step 4: Take the sheets from the oven as soon as the almonds are dry and lightly toasted. Cool the complete batch fully and keep it covered ready for grinding on the next day.

   Uses All actual dry toasted almonds

5. 5

   Step 5: On the tart-making day, combine only the syrup cup of sugar (1 cup) and syrup cup of water (1 cup) in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the syrup teaspoon lemon juice (1 tsp), reduce to low and simmer for thirty to forty minutes until syrupy.

   Simmer dipping syrup until syrupy · 40 minUses 1 cup sugar for dipping syrup · 1 cup water for dipping syrup · 1 tsp fresh lemon juice for dipping syrup

6. 6

   Step 6: Stir only the two tablespoons syrup blossom water into the actual syrup and take it off the heat. Hold this complete dipping syrup separately for the baked tarts.

   Uses All actual cooked syrup · 2 tbsp orange blossom water for syrup

7. 7

   Step 7: Mix all the flour and pinch of salt in a large bowl and make a well. Add all the vegetable oil (2 tablespoons), the single pastry egg (1), the separate half teaspoon pastry lemon juice and the single tablespoon pastry blossom water into this well.

   Uses 2 cups All purpose flour · 1 pinch Salt · 2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil · 1 egg for pastry dough · ½ tsp fresh lemon juice for pastry dough · 1 tbsp orange blossom water for pastry dough

8. 8

   Step 8: Mix the actual pastry ingredients with your fingers until they resemble coarse crumbs. Gradually sprinkle in the separate warm pastry water while mixing, adding only enough to make the complete dough soft and pliable.

   Uses All actual pastry ingredients in their bowl · Warm water for bringing pastry together, added gradually as needed

9. 9

   Step 9: Divide the actual complete pastry into four equal portions, cover all four with a damp cloth and hold them ready while preparing the almond filling.

   Uses All actual pastry dough

10. 10

    Step 10: Finely grind the actual prepared almonds in a food processor. Measure three cups of these actual ground almonds into a mixing bowl and keep any extra ground almonds separately. Wash and zest the lemon, then mix its zest, the separate filling cup of sugar (1), baking powder (1/2 teaspoon), vanilla powder (1 tsp) and two tablespoons filling blossom water into the measured three cups ground almonds.

    Uses All prepared almonds for grinding; measure 3 cups ground for filling and retain extra · 1 separate cup sugar for almond filling · 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder · 1 tsp vanilla powder for almond filling · Zest of 1 lemon for almond filling, prepared in step 10 · 2 separate tbsp orange blossom water for almond filling

11. 11

    Step 11: Stir the three separate filling eggs, one at a time, through the actual measured almond-filling mixture until it becomes a sticky paste.

    Uses The prepared three-cup ground-almond filling mixture only, excluding any extra grounds · 3 separate eggs for almond filling

12. 12

    Step 12: Heat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Dust the work surface with some available cornstarch and roll each of the four actual pastry portions very thinly, about 1–2 mm. Work through all four portions, keeping any waiting pastry covered.

    Uses All four actual pastry portions · Some available cornstarch for the rolling surface

13. 13

    Step 13: Cut the actual rolled pastry into circles about 10 cm / 4 inches across. Lightly dust the outside of each circle with some more available cornstarch, then fit the circles into tart moulds with the dusted side against the mould, gathering and rerolling trimmings as needed.

    Uses All four actual rolled pastry portions · More available cornstarch for the outside of each pastry circle, only as needed

14. 14

    Step 14: Press each actual pastry shell gently against its mould sides and base and trim its rim. Fill each shell only three-quarters full with the actual almond paste, aiming for about forty small tarts from the batch. Hold any unused filling separately and refrigerate it promptly.

    Uses All actual lined tart moulds · Actual filling as needed for all moulds, keeping any excess separate

15. 15

    Step 15: Bake all the filled moulds on the top shelf at 350°F / 175°C for twenty to twenty-five minutes per tray or batch until their tops are golden, the filling is baked through and the pastry is firm. Remove the tarts from their moulds as soon as they come out of the oven, working in batches if needed.

    Bake each tray of almond tarts · 25 minUses All actual filled tart moulds

16. 16

    Step 16: Dip each actual baked tart into the actual prepared sugar syrup while the tart is still hot. Put one pine nut in the centre of each dipped tart for decoration; keep any excess syrup separately.

    Uses All actual fully baked hot tarts · Actual cooked syrup for dipping, as needed · 1 pine nut for each actual finished tart, as needed

17. 17

    Step 17: Put all the dipped decorated tarts on a wire rack to drain excess syrup and cool before serving.

    Uses All actual finished dipped tarts