Fekkas

فقاس

“Twice-baked, dunked in tea — the meditative Moroccan biscotti.”

Prep 20 min · Cook 40 min · Serves 35 pieces · Difficulty Easy · Origin: Throughout Morocco

Fekkas are Morocco's biscotti — oblong twice-baked cookies studded with almonds, raisins, sesame seeds, or aniseed, with a dry, crisp texture designed for dunking in mint tea. Making fekkas requires patience: baked once as a log, then sliced and baked again to achieve that characteristic snap. They keep for weeks and are sold in every Moroccan bakery and medina market.

Ingredients · Serves 35 pieces

• plain flour400 g
• sugar150 g
• eggs2
• butter, softened100 g
• baking powder1 tsp
• ground aniseed1 tsp
• orange blossom water1 tbsp
• whole blanched almonds, toasted100 g
• raisins or dried cranberries50 g
• sesame seeds2 tbsp

The Recipe

1. 1.Cream butter and sugar until pale. Beat in eggs one at a time.
2. 2.Mix in flour, baking powder, aniseed and orange blossom water until a firm dough forms.
3. 3.Fold in almonds, raisins and sesame seeds.
4. 4.Shape into two logs, about 4 cm in diameter. Place on a lined baking sheet.
5. 5.Bake at 180°C for 25 minutes until golden and firm.
6. 6.Remove and cool for 15 minutes. Slice diagonally into 1 cm pieces.
7. 7.Lay cut-side down and bake again at 160°C for 15 minutes until dry and crisp.

Chef's Tips

• The second bake is what creates fekkas' signature snap — don't skip it.
• They must be completely cool before storing, or they soften in the tin.
• Fekkas are best dunked — their dryness is a feature, not a flaw.