M'Hancha

Veering now to the other end of the Mediterranean here is one of my favourite 'smart' desserts that I first developed for a course entitled Casablanca. Ostensibly it's a Moroccan 'serpent' cake based on almonds and cinnamon, but not being a great lover of what is basically just marzipan I've introduced a few additional flavours (one of which is distinctly not north African!) and I do recommend serving it with something like fig and sherry ice cream.

Ingredients

50g toasted almonds, chopped

150g ground almonds

100g unsalted butter, melted

75g white chocolate, finely chopped

45g citrus peel, chopped

½ large orange, grated zest only

50g caster sugar

2 tbsp orange blossom water

1 medium egg, lightly beaten

300g filo pastry

To garnish

1 tbsp cinnamon powder

1 tbsp icing sugar

100g strawberries/orange segments

Makes enough for 8 (and can be frozen too).

Melt 60g of the butter and pour into a large bowl. Add the nuts and the next six ingredients and mix well to form a paste. Shape roughly into five long logs.

Cut the filo pastry into 10 rectangles approximately 220mm x 250mm and melt the reamining butter in a small pan. Brush one sheet with butter and place another sheet on top.

Place one of the logs across the middle and brush with more butter, before rolling to look like a snake or very small strudel.

Repeat this process until you have five ‘snakes’, then join them together to make a large coil on a large baking sheet. This is the tricky bit and best to do in the privacy of your own kitchen with no one watching. Don't worry it you have any cracks - these can be masked with artful decoration. Brush lightly with the rest of the butter and bake for 20-25 minutes on Gas 5/190C until golden brown.

When the cake has cooled sprinkle all over with cinnamon. Then cut three long strips of baking parchment, place 2 or 3cm apart on the cake and sprinkle icing sugar to create a striped effect. Add the fruit wherever you think appropriate.

If you're nervous of filo don't buy the very fine Greek version; several supermarkets have decent chilled versions which give you a little more 'working' time before they dry out and crack. Jus Rol frozen filo is ok, but defrost very carefully.