Sellou ingredients: the complete list and the proportions
Toasted flour, almonds, sesame, anise, cinnamon, butter and sugar or honey: everything you need for Ramadan sellou, with two common sets of proportions and our preparation tips.
Sellou, in a nutshell
Sellou, also called sfouf or zmita depending on the region and the family, is a Moroccan preparation of toasted flour, almonds, sesame, spices and butter, sweetened with powdered sugar or honey. It is made mostly for Ramadan, when it is served with harira, dates and tea, but also for births and weddings. Its ancestor, asselou, was already made from wheat and honey. Every household has its own recipe; the basic ingredients, though, vary little.
The ingredient list
The base: white flour, slowly toasted to a light caramel color; almonds, fried or toasted, then ground; sesame, toasted golden in a dry pan, then partly ground; melted or clarified butter, sometimes partly replaced with oil; powdered sugar or honey. The flavorings: ground anise, cinnamon, often a little ground fennel, a pinch of salt to wake up the other flavors, and, depending on the family, powdered gum arabic or a few grains of mastic gum, pounded with a little sugar. As for equipment, an oven, a large skillet and a spice grinder or food processor are all you need.
Two common sets of proportions
There are two main schools. The generous version, in equal parts: 1 kg of flour, 1 kg of almonds and 1 kg of sesame, with about 280 g of powdered sugar, 450 g of butter, 4 tablespoons of cinnamon, 2 tablespoons of anise, a pinch of salt and a touch of mastic. The version lighter on nuts and seeds: 1 kg of flour to 500 g of almonds and 500 g of sesame, with 250 to 300 g of powdered sugar and 250 to 400 g of butter. In both cases, adjust the butter at the end: sellou is ready when it holds together as you press it in your hand. For a small trial batch, simply divide all the quantities by four.
What you will find at our shop
For the almonds: our Standard almonds, made for cooking and sellou, or our Forna almonds from Meknes. For the sesame: White sesame or Indian sesame. For the flavorings: Anise and Ground cinnamon. For the flour, butter, powdered sugar, honey and gums, ask us on WhatsApp what is available, or pick up the rest at your grocer. A large batch calls for up to 2 kg of almonds and sesame: ordering ahead makes life easier, and we can help you work out the quantities for the size of your batch. If you are also making chebakia, get extra sesame for decorating.
The steps, in brief
Toast the flour in the oven, or in a large skillet over low heat, stirring often, until it turns a light caramel color and smells like cookies. Fry or toast the almonds, toast the sesame in a dry pan, then grind the almonds with part of the sesame. Mix the flour, almonds, sesame, sugar and spices, then add the melted butter little by little, working it in with your hands. Taste before adding all the sugar: every family has its preference. Shape it into a dome and decorate with whole almonds and sesame.
Our tips
The flour makes the flavor: do not let it burn, because bitterness cannot be undone. Grind the almonds in small batches, or they turn into paste. Sellou that is too dry can be saved with a little melted butter; too greasy, with a spoonful of toasted flour. Let it cool before closing the container. Stored well, in an airtight container away from heat, it keeps for several weeks, even several months depending on the recipe, and it also freezes: make it a few days before Ramadan. Serve it by the spoonful, in a small bowl, at ftour or with tea. To give it as a gift, pack it into pretty jars and top each one with a whole almond.
