Moroccan Sellou Recipe (Sfouf)
Sellou, also called Sfouf, is a wonderful Moroccan treat made of healthy flour, roasted almonds, healthy seeds, butter, honey, and a hint of cinnamon. Naturally sweetened and packed with protein, Sellou is usually served during Ramadan and, most notably, at childbirth. It restores energy, boosts lactation, and makes a great midnight snack!
Ingredients
- 2 cups Rolled oats (or oat flour; see notes) (250 g)
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 cup raw almonds
- 2 cups sesame seeds (250 g)
- 2 Tbsp fennel seeds
- 2 Tbsp anise seeds
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- 3 Mastic gum pieces, crushed (optional)
- 3/4 cup unsalted melted butter (170 g)
- 1/3 cup honey
- a dash of salt
Instructions
Roasting and Toasting
- Spread rolled oats onto a baking sheet and place them on the mid-level of a preheated 400-degree oven. Bake for 5-10 mins, stirring every 5 mins, until light-medium golden brown. Set aside to cool down. If you don't have rolled oats, use toasted oat flour instead (see notes).
- Spread the raw almonds onto a separate baking sheet and place them in the middle of a preheated 400-degree oven. Bake for 10-15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until light-medium golden brown—be careful not to burn them. Set aside to cool.
- Toast fennel and anise seeds in a skillet for 3-5 minutes on medium-low heat. Let the seeds cool to room temperature.
- Toast sesame seeds in a skillet for 3-5 minutes on medium-low heat. Let the seeds cool down to room temperature.
Grinding
- Grind the cooled rolled oats until a flour-like texture is reached. Place the ground oats in a large bowl and add the previously-toasted almond flour.
- Grind the cooled roasted almonds until a buttery, paste-like texture is reached. This will look exactly like store-bought almond butter and will help make your Sellou bind better. Add your almond paste to the flour mixture.
- Grind half the sesame seeds until a homogenous paste is made. Add the paste and the remaining half to the flour mixture.
- Grind the fennel and anise seeds and add them to the flour mixture. Next, add salt, cinnamon, crushed Mastic gum pieces, and mix well with a spatula.
Binding the Ingredients
- Add melted butter and honey and mix well with the hands to bind the ingredients. Taste and adjust sweetness and texture to your liking. Use less butter for a powdery texture, and add more butter to mold Sellou into different shapes and forms.
- If you feel like you've added too much butter and your Sellou is too runny, let it rest an hour or two. This will allow Sellou to absorb some of the moisture.
- Optional: fry a dozen blanched almonds on low heat until golden and crispy. Let almonds cool for decoration.
Notes
Rolled Oats Substitutes:
Toast oat flour in a skillet for 5-10 minutes on medium-low heat until light-medium golden. Set aside to cool down. You may also use whole-wheat flour, but be careful because it burns easily.
Cool Tips:
- Place the three pieces of Mastic gum between two sheets of parchment paper before crushing them to avoid mess.
- Use cookie cutters or molds for special occasions.
- For a more decadent version, top it off with dark chocolate glaze.
- Store in an airtight container for a few months.