Cornes de Gazelle (Gazelle Horns)

Method18 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Heat the oven to 150°C / 300°F and line an almond-roasting sheet with baking paper.

2. 2

   Step 2: Spread all two and a quarter cups almonds evenly over the lined roasting sheet.

   Uses 2¼ cups almonds, roasted and ground in steps 3 and 7

3. 3

   Step 3: Roast the almonds for twenty to twenty-five minutes until fragrant and roasted, watching that they do not burn. Work on the pastry while they roast.

   Roast almonds for filling · 25 minUses All tray almonds

4. 4

   Step 4: While the almonds roast, dice the softened pastry butter. Rub the full two cups flour with both the half-cup butter portion and the additional measured tablespoon butter, plus the pinch of salt, until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

   Uses 2 cups All purpose flour · ½ cup softened unsalted butter for dough, diced in step 4 · 1 additional tbsp unsalted butter for the dough · 1 pinch Salt

5. 5

   Step 5: Beat the separate pastry egg (1) and add it to the rubbed mixture with all three tablespoons dough oil and the separate one-and-a-half tablespoons dough blossom water. Knead until smooth, adding conditional water one teaspoon at a time only if the dough is too dry.

   Uses All the rubbed pastry mixture · 1 separate egg for pastry dough, beaten in step 5 · 3 tablespoons Vegetable Oil · 1½ tbsp orange blossom water for pastry dough · A little water for dry dough, added 1 tsp at a time only if needed

6. 6

   Step 6: Shape the complete dough into a ball, wrap in food wrap and rest it for thirty minutes.

   Rest complete pastry dough · 30 minUses All finished pastry dough

7. 7

   Step 7: Remove the roasted almonds and let them cool for about five minutes. Process all of them until finely and evenly ground.

   Cool roasted almonds before grinding · 5 minUses All roasted almonds

8. 8

   Step 8: Pulse both measured filling-sugar (¾ cup) portions into the ground roasted almonds, followed by cinnamon (1/4 tsp), the separate filling egg (1) and the filling tablespoon blossom water. Pulse after each addition until the complete filling is an even paste.

   Uses All ground roasted almonds · ¾ cup sugar for almond filling · 1 additional tbsp sugar for almond filling · 1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon · 1 egg for the almond filling · 1 tbsp orange blossom water for filling

9. 9

   Step 9: Lightly grease your hands with the extra shaping oil. Divide all the filling into small walnut-sized portions and roll each into a little log with tapered ends.

   Uses All mixed almond filling · A little extra vegetable oil to grease hands for shaping filling

10. 10

    Step 10: Arrange the shaped filling logs separately and cover loosely so they stay ready for wrapping.

    Uses All shaped filling logs

11. 11

    Step 11: Heat the oven to 165°C / 325°F. Line baking sheets for the finished pastries with baking paper, allowing more than one tray or batch if needed.

12. 12

    Step 12: Lightly flour the work surface and roll the first half of rested pastry very thinly. Put one held almond log at its edge, fold the pastry over it to enclose the filling completely and seal the edges, keeping the unused rolled pastry ready.

    Uses First half of the rested dough · One log for the first pastry; keep the remainder held · Some extra flour for the first rolling surface

13. 13

    Step 13: Mould the first enclosed log into a crescent, cut around it with a pastry cutter and transfer the sealed pastry to the lined baking sheet. Keep the remaining first-half pastry and trimmings for the rest.

    Uses The first enclosed log, with remaining rolled pastry held

14. 14

    Step 14: Use the remaining first-half pastry and then roll the second half, gathering trimmings as needed. Repeat enclosing, sealing, shaping and cutting with every remaining filling log, placing all completed crescents on the lined sheets. Aim for about fifty small cookies from the complete batch.

    Uses First completed pastry and remaining first-half pastry/trimmings · Remaining second half of rested dough · All remaining held logs · Remaining extra surface flour, only as needed

15. 15

    Step 15: Bake the shaped pastries at 165°C / 325°F for about twenty minutes per tray or batch until lightly golden and baked through, without letting them become dark. Bake every prepared pastry, in batches if needed.

    Bake each tray of gazelle horns · 20 minUses All shaped pastries

16. 16

    Step 16: Let all the baked pastries cool slightly for about three minutes before glazing.

    Briefly cool baked crescents · 3 minUses All baked pastries

17. 17

    Step 17: Gently warm all six tablespoons glaze honey in a small saucepan. Take it off the heat and stir in the separate tablespoon glaze blossom water.

    Uses 6 tbsp honey for glaze · 1 separate tbsp orange blossom water for honey glaze

18. 18

    Step 18: Crush the topping pistachios (3 tbsp). Dip each baked pastry in the prepared honey glaze, arrange on a serving plate and scatter the three tablespoons crushed pistachios over the complete batch. Keep any excess glaze separately.

    Uses All baked pastries ready for dipping · Prepared glaze for dipping, as needed · 3 tbsp pistachios, crushed in step 18