M'hanncha

مهنشة

“The coiled serpent — almond paste, warqa pastry, spectacular.”

Prep 45 min · Cook 25 min · Serves 10 · Difficulty Medium · Origin: Fes and Marrakech, Morocco

M'hanncha (meaning 'the snake' in Darija) is Morocco's most visually dramatic pastry — a long roll of almond paste wrapped in warqa pastry, coiled into a large spiral, baked golden, and dusted with icing sugar and cinnamon in decorative geometric patterns. It arrives at the table whole and is cut in wedges — the almond filling oozes slightly at the cut. Served at weddings and celebrations, it is the dessert that announces a feast.

Ingredients · Serves 10

• ground blanched almonds400 g
• icing sugar200 g
• ground cinnamon2 tsp
• orange blossom water3 tbsp
• butter, softened2 tbsp
• warqa or filo pastry10 sheets
• butter, melted (for brushing)100 g
• egg yolk, beaten (for sealing)1
• for decorationicing sugar and ground cinnamon

The Recipe

1. 1.Mix ground almonds, icing sugar, cinnamon, orange blossom water and softened butter into a smooth paste. Divide into long ropes about 1 cm thick.
2. 2.Lay 2–3 warqa sheets overlapping on a clean surface, brushing each with melted butter.
3. 3.Place almond ropes end to end along the long edge of the pastry. Roll into a tight log, sealing the seam with egg yolk.
4. 4.On a round baking dish, coil the log into a tight spiral, sealing the end with egg yolk.
5. 5.Brush all over with melted butter.
6. 6.Bake at 180°C for 20–25 minutes until deep golden.
7. 7.Cool slightly. Dust with icing sugar and draw cinnamon lines in a lattice or geometric pattern.

Chef's Tips

• The almond paste should be firm enough to hold its shape as a log — if too soft, refrigerate for 30 minutes before rolling.
• Filo pastry dries out quickly — work fast and keep unused sheets covered with a damp cloth.
• M'hanncha is best served warm, within 2 hours of baking.