M’hanncha (Moroccan Almond Snake Pastry)

A Moroccan neighbor of mine brought this to a potluck years ago, coiled up on a platter like something out of a fairy tale, and I remember being almost too charmed by it to eat it. Almost. M’hanncha means “the snake” in Arabic, named for the way the pastry curls around itself in a tight golden spiral, and it has become one of my favorite things to bring to gatherings ever since she taught me how it is done.

Underneath the dramatic shape, it is a fairly simple idea: a filling of ground almonds, sugar, melted butter, and orange blossom water, rolled into thin ropes, wrapped in delicate warqa or phyllo pastry, then coiled into a spiral and baked until golden and crisp. It is traditionally served at celebrations and during Ramadan, dusted with powdered sugar and cinnamon and cut into slices that reveal the almond filling in a swirl. It sits comfortably alongside my Moroccan chicken tagine and harira (recipes on the site) as proof that Moroccan cooking balances savory and sweet with real confidence.

Warqa, the paper-thin pastry traditionally used, is genuinely difficult to make and hard to buy outside Morocco, but standard phyllo dough from the grocery store freezer section works beautifully as a substitute. Serve this with a pot of Moroccan mint tea, atay bi naana (recipe on the site), and you have a proper little ceremony on your hands.

M’hanncha Recipe

Prep time: 35 minutes · Cook time: 30 minutes · Total: 1 hour 5 minutes · Servings: 10 · Calories: ~290 per serving

Ingredients

• For the Filling:
• 3 cups almond flour (or finely ground blanched almonds)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tbsp orange blossom water
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• For Assembly:
• 8-10 sheets phyllo dough, thawed if frozen
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted, for brushing
• 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tsp water, for sealing and glazing
• For Serving:
• Powdered sugar, for dusting
• Ground cinnamon, for dusting

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a large round baking sheet or pizza pan with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, combine the almond flour, sugar, melted butter, orange blossom water, cinnamon, and beaten egg. Mix until it forms a thick, moldable paste.
3. Divide the almond mixture into 3-4 portions and roll each into a long rope about 1 inch thick.
4. Lay out 2 sheets of phyllo, overlapping slightly lengthwise, and brush lightly with melted butter. Place one almond rope along the long edge and roll the phyllo around it into a thin log, sealing the edge with a little egg wash. Repeat with the remaining ropes.
5. Starting from the center of the prepared pan, coil the first log into a tight spiral. Attach the end of the next log to the end of the first with a little egg wash and continue coiling outward, building one continuous spiral.
6. Brush the entire spiral generously with melted butter and the egg yolk glaze.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until deep golden brown and crisp.
8. Let cool slightly, then dust generously with powdered sugar and a light dusting of cinnamon before slicing into wedges.

Recipe Notes

• Orange blossom water is sold at Middle Eastern and North African grocery stores, in the international aisle of many supermarkets, and online; rosewater can be substituted in a pinch, though the flavor is different.
• Keep phyllo covered with a damp towel while you work, since it dries out and cracks quickly once exposed to air.
• The pastry can be assembled a few hours ahead and refrigerated, unbaked, then baked just before serving for the best crunch.
• This keeps at room temperature, loosely covered, for a couple of days, though the phyllo is at its crispest the day it is baked.