Chebakia, the Moroccan biscuits

What are Chebakia, the Moroccan biscuits?

Chabakia is a traditional Moroccan dessert that is usually eaten during Ramadan and other special occasions, a symbol of generosity and friendship, it is an appreciated gift to give during the feast days.

It is a crunchy sweet biscuit that is moulded into the shape of a flower and fried until it reaches the perfect golden color. The dough is made from a mixture of flour, bran, sugar and spices. Once it is ready, the biscuit is usually covered by honey and sprinkled with sesame seeds.

This recipe changes slightly by the Moroccan region, every place has its own traditional version. For example, in the Fès region, the chebakia is usually prepared with grounded almonds and spices like cinnamon and aniseed.

The chebakia is traditionally served with mint tea, and it represents a specialty for Morocco and the people with Moroccan origins.

The precise origin of the recipe isn’t known with certainty, but it is thought that this dessert has ancient roots and is tied to the Islamic culinary tradition. The making of fried desserts is a common practice in lots of these cultures, and the flower shape could also have been inspired from the floral decorations present in the Islamic architecture and art.

Its preparation is considered an art, and many Moroccan people feel proud of their ability to make this dessert. The recipe is realized as a community activity and is usually carried out by groups of women that work together to make large quantities of it, a community where all the secrets of the trade are kept within.

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