Chebakia

شبَّاكيّة

“Honey-drenched, sesame-crowned — Ramadan's sweet symbol.”

Prep 1h · Cook 30 min · Serves 40 pieces · Difficulty Hard · Origin: Fes, Morocco

Chebakia is the pastry of Ramadan — flower-shaped, deep-fried until golden, then plunged immediately into warm honey and showered with sesame seeds and rose water. The result is crisp, sticky, fragrant and intensely sweet. Every Moroccan family makes hundreds of chebakia before Ramadan begins, stacking them in large baskets. They are served alongside harira at iftar (breaking the fast), their sweetness cutting through the soup's acidity perfectly.

Ingredients · Serves 40 pieces

• plain flour500 g
• ground cinnamon1 tsp
• ground aniseed1 tsp
• ground sesame seeds (toasted)1 tsp
• ground ginger½ tsp
• saffron, dissolved in warm waterpinch
• orange blossom water1 tbsp
• white vinegar1 tbsp
• olive oil60 ml
• egg1
• as neededwarm water
• oil for deep frying
• honey400 g
• orange blossom water (for honey)2 tbsp
• for coatingsesame seeds

The Recipe

1. 1.Mix flour with cinnamon, aniseed, ground sesame, ginger, saffron water, orange blossom water, vinegar, olive oil and egg. Knead, adding warm water gradually, until a smooth, non-sticky dough forms.
2. 2.Roll out dough thinly. Cut into rectangles. Using a pastry cutter or knife, make 5 parallel cuts in each rectangle, leaving the edges uncut.
3. 3.Thread the strips together in a specific lattice pattern (traditionally passed down through families) and pinch the ends to form a flower shape.
4. 4.Heat oil to 170°C. Fry chebakia in batches until deep golden, about 3–4 minutes. Do not let the oil get too hot — they need time to cook through.
5. 5.Warm honey with orange blossom water in a wide pot. Immediately plunge the fried chebakia into the warm honey and let them absorb for 2 minutes.
6. 6.Remove with a slotted spoon, drain briefly, and shower with sesame seeds immediately. Allow to cool on a rack.

Chef's Tips

• The lattice shaping technique takes practice — watch a video of Moroccan women making chebakia before attempting.
• Honey must be warm (not hot) for absorption — too hot and the honey caramelises; too cold and it doesn't penetrate.
• Chebakia keeps for 2–3 weeks in an airtight container — which is why families make massive batches before Ramadan.