INGREDIENTS :
• 150g blanched hazelnuts
• 150g unsalted shelled pistachios
• 80g caster sugar
• 3 tablespoons orange blossom water, divided
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground dried ginger
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 30g unsalted butter, softened
• 20g unsalted butter melted
• 200g filo pastry
• 300g honey
• 300g honey
• Ground nuts or chopped dried fruits for decoration
Garnish
• Dried fruits, nuts, seeds, etc., as desired.
METHOD :
• Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F).
• Place the blanched hazelnuts in a baking tray and bake in the oven
until lightly tan, about 10 to 15 min (middle shelve). Give the
hazelnuts a good stir halfway through cooking.
• In a nut grinder or a food processor transfer the roasted hazelnuts,
the pistachios, the caster sugar, 2 tablespoons orange blossom water,
cinnamon, ginger and salt. Process until finely ground or until the nuts
start looking like a rough paste.
• Transfer the nut mixture into a bowl and add in the butter. Mix until
the ingredients are combined all together and knead to a solid mass.
• Unroll the filo and cut the pastry lengthways into 6 cm large and 30
cm long rectangles. Use a sharp knife to cut the pastry and keep the
filo rectangles covered with a damp towel until ready to use to prevent
from drying out.
• On a work surface, place a filo rectangle and brush it with melted
butter. Top the corner of the rectangle with a spoonful of pistachio and
hazelnut paste and fold to form a triangle, up to the right and left,
until a brioua (singular of briouate) is formed.
• Repeat until you’ve exhausted all the nut paste.
• Brush the small briouate with melted butter and place in the oven to
cook for 10 to 12 min until golden.
• Meanwhile heat the honey with 1 tablespoon of orange blossom water.
Avoid burning by controlling the heat (once the the honey is foamy you
should reduce the heat).
• Once the briouate are baked and golden, immediately transfer them to
the simmering honey and soak the pastries for 2 to 3 minutes (flip the
briouate if necessary).
• Move to a flat dish to cool before serving. Decorate with ground nuts
and/or chopped dried fruits.