Anyway.
As I try finding where it was first created, it says on the internet that corne de gazelle is from Morocco but is popular in Algeria as well as in Tunisia. With a little twist depending on the area, maybe filled with peanuts, hazelnuts or, in this recipe, with almonds! We enjoy them during weddings and Muslim people share them when “Eid” comes.
It’s not really hard to make but it takes some time to do every step. I would not recommend it to those who don't have a big sweet tooth as these pastries are filled with a sweet mixture of nuts and are covered with syrup and icing sugar. You can enjoy these with some tea or milk in the morning or as a snack!
It is made with margarine, flour, almond flour and sugar. If you don’t have margarine on hand, use neutral oil instead! I tried both ways, I do prefer working the dough with margarine but oil work well too.
Hope you’ll enjoy this recipe.
Corne De Gazelle (Traditional Algerian “Gazelle Horn” Pastry Made Vegan)
YIELDS
5–6 treats
PREP TIME
COOK TIME
TOTAL TIME
- dough :
- 1/2 cup melted margarine (or neutral oil)
- 1 cup and 1/2 cup flour
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tbsp icing sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup orange flower water (or water)*
- 1–2 tbsp water*
- filling mixture :
- 1 cup and 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup icing sugar
- 1 and 1/2 tsp margarine (or neutral oil)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- water *
- syrup :
- 1/2 cup icing sugar
- 1 cup water
- coating :
- 3 cups icing sugar
Directions
Here’s a 2-minute video for your reference!
For the dough :
Mix together the dry ingredients. Add vanilla extract and melted margarine (or the oil). In a measuring cup, add one tablespoon of the orange tree water to 1/4 cup plain water.
As you start kneading with your hand, pour gradually the water mixture (don’t put the liquid in at once, do it gradually because you might need less or more water depending on your dough). If using plain water add a teaspoon of vanilla extract. If your dough is too sticky, add a little flour. The dough should be non-sticky and smooth. Wrap it in a plastic wrap and let it rest for 10–15 min. After this, the dough must be easy to knead and you can form balls (about 45 g each) and let it rest again.
For the filling mixture :
Just like the dough, mix together the dry ingredients. Add the vanilla and the oil (or the melted margarine). To form the dough, add a tablespoon of water and knead with your hand. Add water utile it forms a small dough (it took me 2–3 tablespoons for it). Like the first dough, make smaller balls (about 20 g each). Set aside.
Forming the cookies shape :
Gazelle horn shapes are actually more like the crescent moon. Using a rolling pin, take a dough ball and flatten it in a rectangle-ish shape. Take an almond filling ball and make it a thin sausage-like shape (smaller than the dough one). Put it at the end of the rectangle dough and roll it like you would roll a sausage in a pastry dough. Pinch both ends of the dough and using your palms, roll the ends a little to make them thiner than the middle part.
After that, bring together the ends to shape it like a crescent moon. When you are done with all your dough, put the treats on a baking tray with parchment paper. Prick the shapes 4–5 times on the surface with a toothpick and put it in the oven for 20 min at 180°C (356°F).
In the meantime, prepare the syrup because it’s need to cool down before using it. Add the water and the sugar to a pan and cook it for about 1–2 min in high heat (it doesn’t need to come to a boil, it just has to be hot). It’s like a sugary water looking liquid. Not thick. If it look like that set it aside.
After the cakey-cookies are done, let them cool down completely.
Put 2 cups of icing sugar in a bowl. Take the syrup and, using a fork, put one cookie at a time. First in the syrup and then coat it fully in the icing sugar.
When you are done, enjoy them right away!
Notes:
Orange tree flower used in North Africa’s sweet treats can be hard to find. You can find it in grocery stores here in France but maybe you can find it in Asian stores near you or maybe online.
You can double the amount of ingredients for the recipe to make it family size!
If there is leftover filling mixture, you can add more flour and bake it as cookies or you can just put it in the freezer and use it for future corne de gazelle !
You can keep the treats at room temperature covered with a clean towel or put them in a box.
Also by Sabrina: How My Algerian Heritage Is Inspiring My Journey As A French Vegan
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Video & Photo: Sabrina Lounaci
