Dziriat (Algerian Almond Tarts)

Name: Dziriat (Algerian Almond Tarts)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 28 min
Total time: 43 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Algerian
Ingredients: 1 cup Sugar; 1 cup Water; 1 tsp Lemon Juice; 2 tablespoons Orange Blossom Water; 2 cups All purpose flour; 2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil; 1 Egg; 1/2 teaspoon Lemon Juice; 1 pinch Salt; 1 tablespoon Orange Blossom Water; 4 cups Almonds; 1 cup Sugar; 3 Egg; 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder; 1 tsp Vanilla; Zest of 1 Lemon; 2 tablespoons Orange Blossom Water; Sprinkling Cornstarch; To serve Pine Nuts

By The Spice & Simmer Kitchen · Published May 3, 2026

A one-pot Dessert recipe with Algerian flavors, built for busy weeknights when you want real food without a sink full of dishes. Comes together in roughly 59 minutes, serves about 4, and uses ingredients you can find at any normal grocery store. The technique is simple: build a base in your pot, layer in the main ingredients, simmer until everything has had time to talk to each other, and serve straight from the pan. If you're cooking for picky eaters, this one tends to land — the flavors are recognizable, the texture is comforting, and there's nothing weird hiding in the ingredient list. Perfect for the kind of evening where you want dinner on the table by 7pm and the kitchen empty by 7:30.

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings · 43 min total

1 cup Sugar
1 cup Water
1 tsp Lemon Juice
2 tablespoons Orange Blossom Water
2 cups All Purpose Flour
2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1 Egg
1/2 teaspoon Lemon Juice
1 pinch Salt
1 tablespoon Orange Blossom Water
4 cups Almonds
1 cup Sugar
3 Egg
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 tsp Vanilla
Zest of 1 Lemon
2 tablespoons Orange Blossom Water
Sprinkling Cornstarch
To serve Pine Nuts

Step-by-step instructions

Prepare the almonds the day before. Bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Remove from heat, and add the almonds. Let the almonds soak in water for about 5 minutes, then drain and peel. Spread the almonds on baking sheets, and bake at 200 degrees F(95 degrees C) until completely dry and toasted. This takes several hours, and needs to be prepared ahead. Be careful not to burn the nuts, as this will give a bitter taste to the filling.
Combine 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon lemon juice, reduce heat to low, and let it simmer until syrupy, about 30 to 40 minutes. Stir in orange blossom water, and remove from heat. Set sugar syrup aside.
Combine flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Make a hole in the center, and pour oil, egg, 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon orange blossom water into the center. Mix with fingers until the dough resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually sprinkle with warm water while mixing until the dough becomes soft and pliable. Divide into 4 equal portions. Cover dough with a wet cloth, and set aside.
In a food processor, finely grind the almonds. Measure 3 cups of the finely ground almonds into a mixing bowl, and stir together with 1 cup sugar, baking powder, vanilla powder, lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons orange flower water. Mix in three eggs one at a time, stirring constantly; mix until you get a sticky, paste-like mixture.
Sprinkle cornstarch on the rolling surface to prevent sticking. Roll each portion of dough very thinly, 1 to 2 millimeters (1/16 inch). Cut the rolled dough into circles of about 10 centimeters (4 inches) in diameter each. Lightly wipe the surface of each circle with cornstarch, and fit into a tart mold, cornstarch side down to prevent sticking. Gently press the dough onto the sides and bottom of the mold, and trim extra dough from around the rim. Fill three quarters of each mold with the almond filling.
Bake on the top shelf at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the surface of the tart is golden and the dough is firm. Remove the tarts from the molds as soon as they come out of the oven. Dip each tart in the sugar syrup while still hot. Stick a pine nut into the middle of each tart for decoration. Place on a wire rack to drain.

Why this works on a weeknight

Dziriat (Algerian Almond Tarts) lands at about 43 minutes total — a little longer than our 30-minute target, but most of that time is hands-off simmering, which is why it earned a spot in our Sweet Finishes collection. The technique is forgiving, the ingredient list is grocery-store standard, and the active cooking time is short enough that you can answer a text message in the middle without ruining dinner.

Cleanup notes

This is a single-pan recipe, so the cleanup is exactly one pan, one cutting board, and one knife. While the dish rests, fill the pan with hot soapy water — by the time you are done eating, the residue lifts off with a single pass of a sponge. Skip the steel wool on cast iron; a stiff brush and warm water are all you need to keep the seasoning intact.

Make-ahead and leftovers

Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat in a dry pan over medium-low with a splash of water or stock to loosen the sauce. Dziriat (Algerian Almond Tarts) actually improves overnight as the flavors keep talking to each other, so doubling the recipe and packing tomorrow's lunch is a high-leverage weeknight move.

Filed under 🍮 Sweet Finishes Dessert Algerian