Cashew Ghoriba Biscuits

Method

Step 1
Preheat your oven to 180°C (Gas 4) and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper. Don’t skip the paper—these biscuits are fragile and will stick. If your oven runs hot (many do), set it to 170°C instead. You’re aiming for gentle heat, not browning power.

Step 2
In a bowl, combine the finely ground cashews and icing sugar. Stir them together before adding anything wet. This prevents sugar clumps later. The mix should look like pale sand. If it looks oily or clumpy already, you’ve over-processed the cashews—stop and fluff it with a fork.

Step 3
Add the egg yolks and orange blossom water. Mix until you get a smooth, cohesive paste. It should hold together easily but not feel wet or greasy. If it’s crumbly, your yolks were small—add half a teaspoon of water. If it’s sticky, chill it for 10 minutes instead of adding more nuts.

Step 4
Take small portions of the paste and roll into balls roughly the size of a walnut. Consistency matters here: uneven sizes bake unevenly. Roll each ball generously in icing sugar. This coating isn’t decorative—it protects the surface from drying out.

Step 5
Place the balls on the tray with space between them. Gently press one almond into the center of each. Don’t push all the way through or crack the dough. If cracks appear, your dough is too dry—smooth them gently with your fingers.

Step 6
Bake for about 18–20 minutes until the biscuits are just lightly golden at the base. The tops should stay pale. If they brown on top, they’re overbaked and will be dry. These burn fast, so check at 15 minutes. Let them cool completely on the tray—they will fall apart if moved hot.