Moroccan Sellou-Inspired Almond and Sesame Pudding

About This Recipe

Sellou (also called sfouf) is a rich, no-cook Moroccan confection made from toasted flour, ground almonds, sesame seeds and warm spices, traditionally prepared in large batches for Ramadan and served as an energy-dense treat with tea. This pudding borrows sellou's signature flavors — deeply toasted almonds and sesame, cinnamon, a touch of anise — and turns them into a creamy, spoonable milk pudding rather than the dry, crumbly original.\n\nThe technique that carries sellou's flavor into this pudding is toasting the almonds and sesame seeds separately and thoroughly before grinding — this toasting step is what gives sellou its deep, nutty character, and skipping it results in a flat, one-dimensional pudding no matter how much sugar or spice you add.\n\nServe chilled, topped with extra toasted sesame seeds and a light dusting of cinnamon, alongside a pot of Moroccan mint tea for a genuinely traditional pairing.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 0.75 cupwhole almonds
• 0.33 cupsesame seeds
• 4 cupswhole milk(divided)
• 0.5 cupcornstarch
• 0.5 cupsugar
• 1 tspground cinnamon(plus more for dusting)
• 0.25 tspground anise seed
• 1 pinchfine sea salt
• 2 tbsphoney(for drizzling)

Instructions

1. 1

   Toast the almonds and sesame

   Toast almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, 5-6 minutes until deeply golden and fragrant. Toast sesame seeds separately for 2-3 minutes, watching closely since they burn fast.

2. 2

   Grind

   Let the almonds cool slightly, then pulse in a food processor with half the sesame seeds until finely ground (reserve remaining sesame for topping).

   Toast the almonds and sesame separately, not together — sesame seeds burn much faster than almonds and will scorch if left in the pan as long as the nuts need.

3. 3

   Whisk the starch slurry

   Whisk cornstarch into 1 cup of cold milk until completely smooth.

4. 4

   Combine and thicken

   In a saucepan, combine remaining milk, sugar, cinnamon, anise and salt. Heat until steaming, then whisk in the cornstarch slurry and the ground almond-sesame mixture. Cook, whisking constantly, 6-8 minutes until thickened.

5. 5

   Chill

   Pour into serving cups, cover directly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 2 hours until fully set.

6. 6

   Serve

   Top with reserved toasted sesame seeds, a dusting of cinnamon, and a drizzle of honey right before serving.

Variations

• •

  Add a tablespoon of orange blossom water along with the anise for a more traditional Moroccan floral note.

• •

  Use a mix of almonds and walnuts for a more complex, layered nutty flavor.

• •

  Top with crushed toasted almonds instead of sesame seeds for extra crunch and a different visual finish.

Storage

Refrigerate covered for up to 4 days. Do not freeze — the texture turns grainy once thawed.

Frequently Asked Questions