Almond Filo Dessert

We moved out of our apartment yesterday and I wanted to use our kitchen to make something good before we start our travels and are using the luxurious accommodations of New Zealand hostels…

I was watching a TV show here called “World Kitchen”, and was inspired to create this unique treat from Morocco: Almond-filled Filo Snake. I made many adjustments to this recipe because I was trying to use up extra cupboard ingredients. Below is the actual recipe but I have noted my changes too.

Almond Filling:

2 cups of ground almonds
1 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons orange blossom or rose water (I didn’t have any, so I just used more melted butter)
3 tablespoons melted butter

 Honey Syrup:

½ cup honey
Zest from one orange
1 tablespoon orange blossom or rose water
(I did not make this syrup at all – although it sounds awesome! I simply poured maple syrup on top. I’m Canadian, I don’t have to explain)

 ¼ cup slivered almonds (I used toasted coconuts)

• Pre-heat oven to 180 C
• Line a large tray with parchment paper
• In a bowl combine the almond filling until it forms a smooth firm paste – you can add more butter to create the desired result
• Take one sheet of filo and brush it with butter, then layer another sheet and repeat until you have three on top of one another.
• Take some filling and shape it into a long log along a long end of the filo
• Roll this up loosely
• Repeat this until you have 4 pastry logs
• Carefully curl the logs to create the snake shape - it is easier to form if they are less full
• Brush with remaining butter

Bake for 20-30 minutes until golden and crispy

Meanwhile, heat the syrup ingredients in a saucepan

• Remove the pastry snake from the oven and drizzle with the honey syrup and top with slivered almonds. This can be served warm or at room temperature.

This dessert reminds me of Baklava but with less sweetness. Very tasty even though it separated on the one side :)