Tunisian cashew ghoriba — soft, melt-in-the-mouth cashew biscuits scented with orange blossom water, rolled in icing sugar and crowned with an almond.
Ghoriba are delicate North African nut biscuits — here made with cashews and perfumed with orange blossom water, each crowned with a whole almond. Crisp outside and tender within, they're an elegant little sweet for tea or celebrations.
Prep 20 min
Cook 20 min
Total 40 min
Easy
- 250g Cashew Nuts
- 2 Egg Yolks
- 2 tbs Orange Blossom Water
- To Glaze Icing Sugar
- 100g Almonds
Video
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4 and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
- In a bowl, mix the cashews with icing sugar, then add the egg yolks and orange blossom water and mix to a smooth, homogeneous paste.
- Take lumps of the paste and shape into small balls, roll in icing sugar, and transfer to the tray, pushing an almond into the centre of each.
- Bake until lightly golden, about 20 minutes, keeping a close eye on them as they burn quickly.
Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen
- Grind the cashews finely for a smooth, even dough.
- Roll the balls in icing sugar before baking for the classic crackled, snowy finish.
- Watch them like a hawk — nut biscuits brown and burn very quickly.
- Let them firm up on the tray, as they're fragile straight from the oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
A fragrant distillation of orange blossoms used across North African and Middle Eastern sweets. A little goes a long way.
Yes — almonds, walnuts or pistachios all make lovely ghoriba; just grind them finely.
The dough may have been too soft — chill it briefly before shaping, and don't over-handle.
