Take a look at this sensational walnut and honey tart from Tangier that’s currently residing in my freezer. A slice of sweetness so exquisite it completely redefined what I thought I knew about desserts. Imagine: crunchy, unbelievably fresh walnuts, drenched in golden, luscious honey and encased in the most crunchy, buttery, impossibly crumbly pastry.
I’ve been to Morocco many times, but as I’m not much of a sweet tooth, these national treasures hadn’t received my full attention. But a recent trip to Tangier changed everything. When locals take you to their favourite pastry shops, off my beaten tourist track —the ones where Tangerines pull up in their cars & pick up their weekend treats, birthday boxes and little gifts—you step into a whole new world of flavour- and bad parking!
Here in Andalucía, we inherited from the Moors a love of nuts and honey, two of nature’s finest treasures. But in Morocco, add bright citrus, orange blossom water, warm spices, rich butter and a touch of French pâtisserie—and voilà: some of the best cakes I’ve tasted in my life.
Serves: 8
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 30–35 min
Difficulty: Easy–moderate
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Ingredients
For the crust
• 1 ¼ cups (160 g) flour
• ¼ cup (50 g) sugar
• ½ cup (115 g) cold butter, cubed
• 1 egg yolk
• 1–2 tbsp cold water
• Pinch of salt
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
For the walnut filling
• 2 cups (200 g) walnut halves, lightly toasted
• ½ cup (120 ml) good honey
• ⅓ cup (70 g) sugar
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½–1 tsp orange blossom water (to taste)
• Zest of 1 small orange
• Pinch of salt
To serve,
• Extra honey for drizzling
• A few walnut halves for decoration
Instructions
1. Make the crust
1. Combine flour, sugar, salt, and (optional) cinnamon.
2. Rub in the butter until sandy.
3. Add egg yolk and water until the dough comes together.
4. Press into a 22–24 cm tart tin.
5. Prick with a fork and blind-bake at 180°C / 350°F for 12–15 minutes until lightly golden.
2. Prepare the filling
1. Roughly chop half the toasted walnuts; leave the rest whole or halved.
2. In a saucepan, heat honey, sugar, butter, cinnamon, and orange zest over low heat just until melted and combined.
3. Remove from heat and stir in:
• orange blossom water
• chopped + whole walnuts
• pinch of salt
4. The mixture should be glossy and sticky — like a Moroccan-style nut praline.
3. Assemble and bake
1. Pour the walnut filling into the warm tart shell.
2. Spread evenly, pressing gently so the nuts settle.
3. Bake 15–18 minutes until bubbly around the edges and fragrant.
4. Cool slightly, then drizzle lightly with extra honey.
Try serving with cinnamon ice cream or a dollop of creme fraiche dusted with powdered cinnamon.
