Halwa Chebakia (chebbakia or shebakia) is a
flower, fried and then coated with honey. Also
known as mkharka, it's usually served during Ramadan
and for special occasions.
Moroccan women enlist the help of a sister,
mother or friend for the preparation of a large
quantity. Be sure to see the photo tutorial
if you've never made them before.
This is my sister-in-law's recipe. I've reduced
her normal quantities by half to make the batch
more manageable for those cooking alone.
Also see the
Prep Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Yield: Approx. 2 kg of cookies
Ingredients:
- 1/2 kg (about 4 cups) flour, plus additional if necessary
- teaspoon baking powder1/2
- 1/2teaspoon salt
- 1 soup bowl full (about 200 g or 7 oz.)
- of 1golden unhulled sesame seeds, toasted
- 1/2 1teaspoons ground anise
- 1/2 1teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled
- 1/8 teaspoon Moroccan yellow colorant (or
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric)
- pinch of mastic or gum arabic grains - mix with
- 1/4 teaspoon of sugar and crush to a powder
- 1 extra-large egg
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup vinegar
- 1/4 cup orange flower water
- 1 teaspoon yeast dissolved in 1/4 cup warm
- water
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- 1/2 1kg (about 3 lbs.) honey
- 2tablespoons orange flower water
- 1/2 1liters vegetable oil, for frying
- 1/2 cup golden unhulled sesame seeds,
- toasted, for decorating
Preparation:
Ahead of time, pick through the sesame seeds
to remove any debris. Spread them on a baking
pan and toast the sesame in a 400° F (200° C)
oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the sesame
seeds are crunchy and nutty-flavored. Allow
them to cool thoroughly, and then store in an
airtight container until ready to use.
Make the Chebakia Dough
Grind one bowlful of toasted sesame in a food
processor until it turns powdery. Keep grinding
until the powder becomes moist enough to
press or pack.
Mix the ground sesame with the flour and other
dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the
remaining ingredients and mix with your hands
to form a dough. Add more flour if necessary to
Knead the dough by hand for seven to eight
minutes or in a mixer with dough hook for four
to five minutes. Divide the dough into four
portions, shape each into a smooth mound, and
place the dough in a plastic bag to rest for 10 to
15 minutes.
Roll and Cut the Dough
The rolling out and folding process is described
below, but if you've never made Chebakia, it
helpful to see the photo tutorial
Take one of the portions of dough, and roll it out
to the thickness of a thin piece of cardboard.
Lightly flour your work surface if necessary.
Use a pastry cutter to cut the dough into
rectangles approximately the size of your palm.
Make four evenly spaced cuts lengthwise in
each rectangle. These cuts should be almost the
length of the rectangle, but should not cut
through to the edges of the dough. The
resulting rectangle will have five strips of
attached dough.
Fold the Chebakia
Take a rectangle, and thread the middle finger
of your right hand through alternating strips of
dough. This enables the rectangle to drape over
your finger.
With your left hand, pinch together the outer
corners of dough which hang over the tip of
your finger. This will form the center of the
flower shape.
While holding the pinched corners with your left
hand, allow the strips of dough to slide down off
your right finger while gently turning them
inside-out around the pinched portion. Gently
pinch the opposite corners closed once the
dough is turned inside out. If done correctly,
you'll have formed the dough into an elongated
flower shape.
Place the folded piece of dough on a baking
sheet or tray. Repeat the process with the
remaining rectangles and mounds of dough.
Gather together the scraps of dough as you
work, mold them together into a mound, and
return them to the bag to rest before you try
rolling them out again.
Use up all of your dough in this manner. Cover
the trays of folded dough with a towel until
ready to fry.
Frying the Chebakia
Heat one inch of oil in a large, deep frying pan
over medium heat. At the same time, heat the
honey almost to boiling in a large pot. When the
honey is frothy but not bubbling, add the
orange flower water to the honey and turn off
the heat.
When the oil is hot, cook the chebakia in
batches. Adjust the heat as necessary to slowly
fry each batch of chebakia to a medium brown
color. This should take about 10 minutes if the
oil is the correct temperature. If the oil is too
hot, the chebakia will color quickly but the
insides will not be cooked crispy.
Soaking the Chebakia in Honey
When the chebakia are cooked to a medium
golden brown, use a slotted spoon or strainer to
transfer them from the oil directly to the hot
honey. Gently push down on the chebakia to
submerge them in the honey, and allow them to
soak for 5 to 7 minutes. They'll turn a rich,
glossy amber color as they absorb the honey. In
the meantime, you can begin frying another
batch of cookies.
Note: The longer you soak the chebakia, the
more honey they will absorb, and the sweeter
and less crispy they become. How long to soak
them is a matter of personal preference.
However, too short of a soaking will result in
pale-colored chebakia that eventually lose their
glossy coating.
When the chebakia have finished soaking,
remove them from the honey to a strainer or
colander, and allow them to drain for only a few
minutes. Gently transfer them while hot to a
large platter or tray, and sprinkle the centers
with sesame. As you finish soaking other
batches of chebakia in the honey, simply drain
and add them to the platter in a mound,
garnishing each batch with sesame. (Note: If
the honey cools and thickens before you've
finished making all the cookies, simply reheat it
briefly over medium-low heat. This can be done
even if some chebakia are in the pot soaking.)
Storing and Serving the Chebakia
Allow the chebakia to cool for several hours
before putting them in an airtight container for
storage. They'll keep at room temperature for a
month or longer, and will freeze well for four or
five months.
Serve chebakia with harira, at iftar for
Ramadan, or with tea or coffe
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