
Tcharek M’saker
Abuja, Nigeria ·
Aperçu
Tcharek M'saker are elegant crescent-shaped Algerian cookies made from ground almonds, sugar, orange blossom water, and egg, formed into half-moon shapes and baked until golden, then dusted generously with icing sugar while still warm. They are delicate, intensely almond-flavoured, and represent the refined sweet-making tradition of Algerian confectionery. The cookies appear at every Algerian celebration from Eid to weddings, arranged in neat rows on serving plates alongside tea. Their simplicity is deceptive, producing a product of considerable elegance from very few ingredients. The orange blossom water is essential, its floral perfume being the note that elevates them into something distinctly North African.
Note de Patrimoine AFN
Tcharek M'saker belongs to the family of North African almond-based celebration cookies shared across Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. The use of ground almonds reflects the historical importance of almond cultivation in the Maghreb. The crescent shape is characteristic of North African Islamic confectionery tradition passed through generations of Algerian home baking.




In Kinshasa we make beignets and focus on savory dishes like pondu, but my Algerian neighbor here in Silver Spring brought these crescent pastries over last year and I was obsessed. Made them today using ghee from the local halal store. Pour de vrai, the cinnamon and almond powder filling smells divine. Resting the dough for 30 minutes in the fridge is definitely key to handling it.