Cornes de Gazelle: The Delicate Almond Pastry

If Chebakia is the festive street food of Ramadan, the Corne de Gazelle (Gazelle Horn or Kaab el Ghazal) is the refined, aristocratic queen of the Moroccan pastry tray. Served at weddings, circumcisions, and to honor the most esteemed guests, it is a testament to the sophistication of Moroccan baking.

Pure Almond Elegance

Unlike many Middle Eastern pastries that rely on heavy syrups and phyllo dough, the Gazelle Horn is incredibly subtle. The filling is pure, blanched almond paste, pulverized with sugar, a touch of mastic gum (meska horra), and a generous splash of pure orange blossom water.

The Crescent Moon

This fragrant almond paste is encased in a dough so thin it is almost translucent, allowing the pale almonds to show through after baking. The pastry is shaped by hand into a graceful, curving crescent resembling the horn of a gazelle. Baked only until barely golden, it remains soft, chewy, and intensely aromatic. Biting into a Corne de Gazelle with a sip of hot mint tea is a moment of pure, unadulterated luxury.