Makrout a Louz - Algerian Almond Cakes

Delicious little diamonds of tangy almond delight! Easy to make and very much appreciated by all. Perfect for Eid celebrations or any special (or not so special!) ocassion. I also make these using a mix of desiccated coconut & ground almonds - 150g ground almonds + 200g desiccated coconut. You can freeze these and then put the syrup and icing sugar on later. I like to make a few things in advance so I'm not cooking 24/7 just before Eid etc.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Yields: 30-35 diamond shape cakes

Ingredients

• For the makrout

• 3  cups  ground almonds
• 1  cup granulated sugar
• 4  limes, zest of, finely grated
• 3  small  medium eggs

• To roll

• 3  tablespoons cornflour (maize or cornstarch)

• To decorate

• 2  cups  of light  sugar syrup
• 2 1⁄2 cups icing sugar (confectioners sugar)

Directions

1. Place the first 4 ingredients in a large bowl and mix well - traditionally with your hand.
2. Dust work top with a little cornflour, seperate the dough into 1/4's and then roll mixture into a sausage shape - approximately the thickness of a frankfurter or average thumb!
3. Cut the sausage into 3cm pieces. Do this at an angle to create lozange or diamond shapes.
4. Bake on middle shelf at approx 170°C until set but still pale in colour. THEY SHOULD NOT BE golden.
5. When cooled slightly, drop one by one into the syrup. Hold on a fork and allow excess to dribble off before slowly dropping into the sugar.
6. Re-dip with sugar 5 mins later and pop into paper cases.
7. For the syrup you can make it easily by putting 2 cups of water, a halved lime and 1 cup of sugar in a pan and boiling for 10 minutes. It needs to be nice and light - just enough to hold the icing sugar on.