Moroccan Sellou Recipe (Sfouf or Zmita)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).

2. Wash sesame seeds, then drain and air dry on a baking pan for 1-2 days.

3. Sort dried sesame seeds to remove any debris.

4. Toast sesame seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet for 15-20 minutes until crunchy, stirring occasionally, or toast in a skillet.

5. Cool and store toasted sesame seeds.

6. Brown flour in a large baking pan at 400°F (200°C) for 30+ minutes until golden, stirring every 5 minutes for even color.

7. Cool and sift browned flour multiple times, then cover and store.

8. Start boiling water for blanching almonds.

9. Blanch almonds in boiling water for 1-2 minutes, then drain water and skin while warm.

10. Spread and thoroughly dry skinned almonds on a towel.

11. Heat 1/2-inch oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Fry almonds in batches for 5-10 minutes, stirring constantly, until light golden brown.

12. Drain and cool fried almonds.

13. Melt butter over low heat until milk solids separate and foam forms.

14. Skim off and discard foam.

15. Refrigerate clarified butter overnight; in the morning, pour off hardened milk solids.

16. Store clarified butter in the fridge until ready to use.

17. Melt clarified butter for mixing the sellou.

18. Sift browned flour, confectioners' sugar, spices, mastic, and salt into a large bowl. Blend thoroughly by hand.

19. Finely grind toasted sesame seeds into a paste (reserve some for crunch if desired), then add to the flour mixture.

20. Grind half the fried almonds to a paste and the other half until oils release; add to the mixture.

21. Toss and blend all ingredients thoroughly by hand. Adjust sugar or spices to taste.

22. Gradually work in melted clarified butter until the mixture is glistening and can form a ball.

23. Knead sellou for a few minutes, then transfer to a plastic container.

24. Cool, then cover the sellou.

25. Serve sellou shaped into a mound, garnished with powdered sugar or fried almonds.