Orange Blossom and Coconut Ghoriba
Adapted from Clock Book
One of the highlights on my recent trip to Morocco was a lunch prepared at the Scorpion House, the private home of British expat and restaurateur Mike Richardson. Years ago, he opened a restaurant in the heart of the medina in Fez called Café Clock where he made his fame by launching a “camel burger.” Now, the cross-cultural café offers both Moroccan and international fare to hungry tourists and hip Fassis.
When he’s not at the Café Clock, Richardson opens his home in the ancient city of Moulay Idriss as a casual B&B. Perched on the hillside guests enjoy spectacular panoramic views which reach as far as Volubilis, the town famous for its Roman ruins. His four-level house is outfitted with an eclectic mixture of Moroccan decorative arts, African statues, and not-for-the-shy erotica from around the world. Plus, two extraordinary female cooks!
Our group was invited to explore the house and select a spot for lunch. My traveling partner, Joan Brower, and I followed our noses to a quiet spot on a tiny terrace next to the kitchen where two women worked adeptly to prepare arguably the best meal of the entire trip.
Our dessert included a fresh fruit salad plus a selection of local sweets including Ghoriba, Morocco’s most popular cookie. Each household has its own recipe. The flavoring possibilities are endless as Ghoriba, a semolina-based cookie, can be made with the addition of either ground almonds, walnuts, sesame seeds or coconut. The unifying characteristic, however, is that the cookies are all chewy on the inside with a cracked exterior due to being dipped in powdered sugar before baking. This recipe adapted from Café Clock’s cookbook uses coconut, the version our host served us at his home.
NB: The original recipe uses the metric system. I converted this and made several additional changes. However, if you’re a serious baker, I suggest getting yourself a scale and weighing your ingredients. It’s considered a more accurate baking method.
Ingredients
250 grams (3 cups + ½ cup +1 Tablespoon) unsweetened coconut
125 grams (1/2 cup) sugar
2 eggs at room temperature
Pinch salt
Zest of 1 orange
40 grams each (3 Tablespoons) cooled melted butter and vegetable oil
100 grams (1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons) fine semolina flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 Tablespoons orange blossom water (more as needed)
100 grams (2/3 cup) sifted confectioners’ sugar
Cooking instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone cooking mats.
1. With a metal blade in place, add coconut to food processor bowl and process, turning on and off until coconut is medium fine in consistency. Set aside.
2. Using a handheld mixer, beat together sugar and eggs in a large bowl until sugar is fully dissolved. Stir in salt and orange zest.
3. Stir in melted butter and oil. Then fold in semolina flour, baking powder and coconut. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 20 minutes.
4. Moisten the palms of your hands with orange blossom water and using a small cookie scoop—or tablespoon—form walnut-size balls of dough. Dip each into confectioners’ sugar.
5. Place balls on a cookie sheet and flatten by slightly pressing each sphere with the palm of your hand. Cook for 15-18 minutes turning the cookie sheets halfway through the cooking process. Cookies should be cracked on the outside and golden brown around the edges.
6. Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies will keep for two weeks in an airtight container.
Makes: 40 cookies
Beverage recommendation: Moroccan mint tea!