Moroccan · Dessert
Sellou (Toasted Flour, Almond & Sesame Sweet)
Sellou (also sfouf or zmita) is a dense, unbaked Moroccan sweet — flour toasted deep golden, mixed with ground fried almonds, toasted sesame, browned butter, honey and warm spices into a sandy, pressable confection. Energy-rich and slow to spoil, it is a Ramadan staple and a traditional restorative for new mothers, eaten in spoonfuls with mint tea.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 70 min
- Serves
- 10
- Level
- Medium
Ingredients
- 500 g plain flour
- 300 g whole almonds
- 200 g sesame seeds
- 200 g butter, melted and browned
- 150 g honey (plus more to taste)
- 100 g icing sugar
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp ground anise seed
- 1 tsp ground fennel (optional); pinch of salt
Method
- 1
Toast the flour
Toast the flour in a dry pan (or a 160°C oven), stirring often, until it turns a deep sandy gold and smells nutty, 20–30 minutes. This deep toast is the backbone of sellou's flavour, so don't rush it. Let it cool.
- 2
Fry the almonds, toast the sesame
Fry the almonds in a little oil until golden, drain and cool. Toast the sesame in a dry pan until fragrant. Reserve a handful of each for topping.
- 3
Grind
Grind most of the almonds and most of the sesame to a coarse meal. Sift the cooled toasted flour to remove lumps.
- 4
Combine
Mix the toasted flour, ground almonds and sesame, icing sugar, cinnamon, anise, fennel and salt. Work in the warm browned butter and honey until the mixture is like damp, oily sand that clumps when pressed. Adjust honey and butter for taste and texture.
- 5
Serve
Mound sellou into a bowl or press into a dish, smooth the top, and stud with the reserved whole almonds. Serve in small spoonfuls — it is very rich — with mint tea.
Chef's tips
- Toast the flour patiently to a real golden-brown; pale flour makes bland, raw-tasting sellou.
- Adjust butter and honey to the texture you like — some prefer it dry and crumbly, others rich and clumping.
- It keeps for weeks in a sealed jar and the flavour deepens, making it ideal to prepare ahead for Ramadan.
Frequently asked questions
Is sellou the same as sfouf?
Yes — sellou, sfouf and zmita are regional names for essentially the same toasted-flour, almond and sesame sweet, with small differences in proportions and spicing from family to family.
Why is sellou eaten during Ramadan and after childbirth?
It is extremely energy-dense — toasted flour, nuts, butter and honey — so a spoonful gives lasting sustenance after a day of fasting, and it is traditionally offered to new mothers to help them recover their strength.