Kwarezimal Recipe

Wheat-Free Kwareżimal Recipe

Kwarezimal is a Maltese traditional sweet which is usually baked during Lent – the period leading up to Easter. The name “Kwareżimal comes from the word “kwaresma” which means “Lent” in Maltese language. Kwareżimal is often prepared without the use of animal produce such as eggs or dairy products since Lent is a period of fasting and abstinence for many Christians. This traditional Maltese treat symbolizes Maltese culture during the Easter season. Kwareżimal are normally served at room temperature, and they go very well with tea, coffee or hot chocolate.

Ingredients for the Kwareżimal:

400g Rice Flower
25g Baking Soda
5g Salt
400g Ground Almonds
115g Maple Syrup
30ml Olive Oil
50g Diced Orange Candied Peel
30ml Orange Flower Water
15g Cocoa Powder
2g Ground Cinnamon
2g Mixed Spice
1 Lemon Zest
1 Orange Zest
Juice of ½ Orange
120ml Water (or as needed)

Ingredients for the toppings:

Honey
Crushed Almonds or other nuts of your preference

Method:

Start by preheat the oven to 180°C and on the side prepare a baking tray covered with baking sheet. Sift the rice flour and mix all the dry ingredients; baking soda, salt, orange candied peel, cocoa powder, ground cinnamon, mixed spice, lemon and orange zest using the beater attachment of your Domo Kitchen Machine. Crush the almonds using your Domo XPOWER Smoothie Blender which can also be used to crush nuts and ice. Add the ground almonds to the mixture and continue mixing. Once the dry ingredients are well mixed, remove the beater attachment from your Domo Kitchen Machine and attach the dough hook.

Add the wet ingredients (maple syrup, olive oil, orange flower, and orange juice) in the mixing bowl of your Domo Kitchen Machine and knead into a dough. Add the water slowly as needed and the dough must be a bit sticky in consistency.

Once the dough is ready, take pieces from your mixture and start shaping the Kwareżimal on the baking tray and make some crossing lines using a knife, then bake them in the oven for not more than 20 minutes. When they are ready, take them out of the oven and brush them with some honey and press some chopped nuts on top as a decoration.