Moroccan · Desserts
Gazelle Horn Cookies (Kaab el Ghazal, Home Method)
These crescent-shaped almond pastries are named for their resemblance to a gazelle's horn, with a delicate short pastry shell wrapped tightly around a fragrant orange-blossom almond filling. This home method focuses on getting the crescent shape and thin shell right without a pastry class.
- Prep
- 60 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 80 min
- Serves
- 16
- Level
- Advanced
Ingredients
- 250 g flour
- 60 g melted butter
- 1 egg
- 2–3 tbsp orange blossom water, for the dough
- 250 g ground almonds
- 100 g sugar
- 2 tsp orange blossom water, for the filling
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Method
- 1
Make the dough
Combine the flour, melted butter, egg and orange blossom water into a smooth, elastic dough. Rest, covered, for 30 minutes.
- 2
Make the filling
Mix the ground almonds, sugar, orange blossom water and cinnamon into a firm paste.
- 3
Shape logs
Roll the almond paste into thin logs, tapered at each end.
- 4
Wrap
Roll the dough very thin, cut into strips, wrap each around an almond log, and pinch the seam closed.
- 5
Curve
Bend each wrapped log into a crescent shape and trim the ends neatly with a knife or pastry wheel.
- 6
Bake
Prick each crescent lightly with a pin so it doesn't burst, and bake at 180°C for 15–18 minutes until pale gold — they should not brown deeply.
Chef's tips
- Roll the outer dough very thin; a thick shell overwhelms the delicate almond filling.
- Pricking the pastry before baking prevents it from cracking or bursting in the oven.
- These should stay pale, not golden-brown — pull them as soon as they're set and barely coloured.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my dough tearing when I wrap it?
The dough is likely too thick or hasn't rested long enough. Rest it longer and roll it thinner, working quickly before it dries out.