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If you like to play with dough, get your hands into this special recipe. The end result for all your handiwork is a beautifully light, crispy, flaky pastry pocket — loaded with a sweet chewy filling and glazed with a delicately spiced orange syrup.

You will need

Serves 6

  • 150g margarine or coconut oil

Dough

  • 1 cup plain flour
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/8 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 65ml cold water
  • 1/2 orange, zest

Rolling mixture

  • 1/2 cup plain flour
  • 1/2 cup corn starch

Filling

  • 150g any nuts or mix of nuts (we used almonds, cashews and peanuts)
  • 30g of caster sugar
  • 50ml maple syrup
  • 50g dry apricots and dry figs (or dates)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Syrup

  • 1 orange, juice
  • Peel of 1/2 orange
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup Maple Syrup
  • 1 stick of cinnamon
  • 1 cardamom, crushed
  • 1 star anise

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Directions

20 mins to prep

  1. Step 1

    Place all the filling ingredients in the blender and blend until coarse sticky, crunchy paste forms.

  2. Step 2

    Mix all the dough ingredients except the water. Then add the cold water a third at a time to bring the dough together. Might take all, might take a bit less. Depending on flour type and humidity.

  3. Step 3

    Knead the dough on a clean surface to bring it together. The dough should be soft but not sticky. Rest the dough for 10–15 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Portion to 10 equal sizes and make small balls and rest for another 10 minutes (while you make the filling).

  5. Step 5

    Dust the bench with the rolling flour mixture and roll each dough about 4 inches.

  6. Step 6

    Stack up all the 10 open rolls on top of each other by dusting with a generous amount of rolling mixture. And then roll all 10 doughs together in one large square (about 1–2 mm thickness)

  7. Step 7

    Roll the open dough like a roulade. Cut 1cm pieces. It will have lots of layers (makes approx 20).

  8. Step 8

    Lightly dust each cut piece and lightly roll with a rolling pin to an oval shape. (don’t apply too much pressure, otherwise, it will affect forming layers).

  9. Step 9

    Place one tablespoon (approx) filling inside.

  10. Step 10

    Brush the edges with little melted margarine or coconut oil. Secure the edges and form them as you please.

  11. Step 11

    Melt 150g margarine or coconut oil. Generously coat each pastry with the oil (drench it) and bake in a 180°C preheated oven for 20–25 minutes or until golden brown.

  12. Step 12

    Add all of the ingredients for the syrup to a small pot, bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer until the sugar has dissolved.

  13. Step 13

    When the pastry is out of the oven and is still hot ladle syrup on each pastry.

Recipe: Anushka Zargaryan