1 cup icing sugar
2 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons orange blossom water (or geranium water, according to taste)
1 pinch ground clove
4 tablespoons butter . melted
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
20 sheets brick dough
Vegetable oil (for frying)
For the syrup:
1½ cup sugar
Juice of a lemon
2 tablespoons orange blossom water (or geranium water, same as the filling)
3 tablespoons liquid honey
For the decor:
½ cup white sesame seeds toasted, (or finely crushed toasted pistachios)
Equipment - Thermometer
Syrup: Pour the sugar into a saucepan and barely cover it with water. Add lemon juice and orange blossom (or geranium) water. Put on low heat and, and using a wooden spoon, stir once (not more), when the sugar comes to a boil. Simmer gently until reaching a temperature of 220 F / 105˚C (about 20 to 30 minutes). When the sugar reaches a temperature of 195 F (90˚C), incorporate the honey and stir the pan by holding it by the handle (do not stir with a spoon). Filling: Lightly roast the almonds and grind them to a powder. Mix almonds, ground clove, cinnamon, sugar and vanilla. Sift the icing sugar over and mix well. Add the orange blossom water (or geranium water) and butter and knead until you obtain a homogenous paste. Take about a teaspoonful of the paste, and shape balls. Folding: Cut each round sheet of brik dough into two equal parts. Fold a half sheet, placing it in front of you vertically, the rounded side to the left. Fold the sheet on itself, with the rounded corner towards the right edge. Press a little along the fold. In the lower left corner, drop a ball of stuffing. Take the lower right corner and fold to the left. Gently take the formed triangle and fold it to the right along the fold. Take the triangle again and fold it to the right along the fold. Fold the top right corner down to form a point. Take the tip thus formed and return it under the fold of the sheet (like an envelope). Once the flap is fully folded, the triangle is formed. Frying: Heat a large deep saucepan with oil. Fry the samsas over medium heat, turning occasionally until golden brown. Take them out and place them on a plate lined with paper towel. Soak the samsas as they are still hot (but not piping hot) in the syrup. Then, place them on an oiled parchment paper to cool. Sprinkle with sesame seeds or crushed pistachios. Wait until they are completely cool to store them in a metal or glass container. Keep them in a cool place.
Notes: To get a nice golden color without burning, prepare raw carrot sticks and place one or two pieces in the oil. Regularly change the pieces of carrot while frying the samsas. You can freeze the samsas once cooled. The syrup can be refrigerated. Once out of the freezer, the samsas can be dipped into the warmed syrup.