Sweet Almond Briwat Recipe

Toast and grind almonds

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Spread the blanched almonds on a baking sheet and toast 8–10 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden. Let cool. In a food processor pulse the cooled almonds with granulated sugar, powdered sugar, ground cinnamon, orange zest and fine salt until a coarse paste forms (mixture should hold together when pressed but still have some texture).

Bind filling

Transfer almond mixture to a bowl and stir in melted butter and 2 tsp orange blossom water. Mix until evenly combined; the mixture should be moist but not oily. If too dry, add up to 1 tsp melted butter; if too wet, add 1–2 tsp ground almonds or a pinch of powdered sugar.

Make syrup while preparing filling so it can cool slightly. In a small saucepan combine 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Lower heat and simmer 5–7 minutes until slightly syrupy. Remove from heat and stir in honey, 1 tsp orange blossom water, 1 tsp fresh orange zest and 1 tsp lemon juice. Let cool to warm (not cold) and set aside. Syrup should be warm when poured over hot pastries.

Prepare workspace: have a pastry brush, sharp knife, ruler (optional) and a clean damp towel to keep phyllo covered (phyllo dries quickly). If using phyllo sheets cut each sheet lengthwise into three equal strips (about 3–4 inches wide) to form long rectangles for rolling into briwat cones or cigars. Keep remaining phyllo covered with damp towel.

Portion filling: roll the almond filling into small logs about 2 inches long and 3/4 inch thick (you should get roughly 24–30 portions from the listed amounts). Keep the filling logs nearby on a tray.

Assemble briwat cones (folding method): Brush a strip of phyllo with melted butter. Place one almond log near one end of the strip. Fold the corner over the filling to start a triangle, then continue folding triangle over itself along the strip (like folding a flag) until you reach the end. Brush the final edge with melted butter (or a drop of oil) and press to seal. Repeat for remaining filling and phyllo strips. Alternatively, roll into cigar shapes: lay filling near one long edge, fold short edge over and roll tightly, brushing with butter to seal the seam and ends.

Cooking options: For frying — heat 1/2 inch vegetable oil in a large skillet to 350°F (175°C). Fry briwat in batches, seam-side down first, for 1–2 minutes per side until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels. For baking — preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Arrange briwat seam-side down on a parchment-lined sheet, brush generously with melted butter, and bake 12–16 minutes until golden and crisp, turning once and brushing additional butter if needed.

Syrup soak: While briwat are still warm (hot from oven or fresh from fryer), place them on a wire rack set over a tray and spoon or brush warm syrup evenly over each piece — about 1–2 teaspoons per piece depending on size. Allow syrup to soak for 1–2 minutes, then transfer to a serving platter.

Garnish and serve: Sprinkle toasted sliced almonds over briwat and dust lightly with powdered sugar if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days (syrupy pastries are best the day made).