Jeff Koehler’s Jam Cake Recipe Has A Texture Similar To Shortbread

A speciality of eastern Algeria, this jam-covered cake called mderbel has a texture similar to shortbread. The name refers to being nonchalant or casual, which is a good description of this cake’s appearance.

One thing that makes it stand out is the topping it often gets. A piece of the dough is set aside, stiffened with some flour and grated over the top.

For jam, choose a smooth one, without large pieces of fruit. Apricot jam is the classic choice.

Recipe extracted from ‘The North African Cook Book’ by Jeff Koehler (Phaidon, $80), out now.