Moroccan · Desserts
Moroccan Walnut Honey Pastry
Influenced by the wider Ottoman-Andalusian pastry tradition, this layered warqa and walnut sweet is soaked in honey syrup rather than the sugar syrup used further east, giving it a distinctly Moroccan finish that's less cloying and more floral.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 65 min
- Serves
- 12
- Level
- Medium
Ingredients
- 12 sheets warqa or filo pastry
- 300 g walnuts, finely chopped
- 80 g sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon
- 120 g butter, melted
- 200 g honey
- 2 tbsp water and 1 tsp orange blossom water, for syrup
Method
- 1
Make the filling
Mix the chopped walnuts with sugar and cinnamon.
- 2
Layer
Brush a baking dish with butter and layer half the pastry sheets, brushing each with butter.
- 3
Fill
Spread the walnut mixture evenly over the layered pastry.
- 4
Top
Layer the remaining pastry sheets on top, brushing each with butter, and score into diamond shapes before baking.
- 5
Bake
Bake at 180°C for 30–35 minutes until deep golden and crisp.
- 6
Syrup
Warm the honey with water and orange blossom water, then pour evenly over the hot pastry immediately after baking.
- 7
Rest
Let it rest at least 2 hours so the syrup fully absorbs before cutting along the scored lines.
Chef's tips
- Pour the syrup over the pastry while both are still hot — cold syrup on a cold pastry won't absorb properly.
- Scoring the top layer before baking makes cutting clean pieces afterward much easier.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use almonds instead of walnuts?
Yes, a mix of almonds and walnuts, or almonds alone, both work well as a filling.