What is amlou, the Moroccan argan and almond spread?

Amlou is the taste of southwestern Morocco in a jar, and I never let a guest leave without trying it. It is made from just three core ingredients: almonds, toasted then ground to a paste; argan oil, pressed from the nuts of the argan trees that grow only in the Souss region around Agadir and Essaouira; and honey to sweeten. Blended together, they form a thick, glossy, pourable paste the colour of caramel.

People call it "Berber Nutella", but the flavour is its own thing entirely — deeply nutty and roasted from the almonds, with the distinctive, slightly toasty, almost hazelnut-and-grassy note of argan oil running underneath, all rounded out by honey. It is rich and earthy rather than chocolatey, and a little goes a long way. The argan oil, which is laborious to produce by hand, makes it both special and prized.

The classic way to eat amlou is at breakfast, spread thickly on warm bread, harcha, or msemen, with a glass of mint tea. In the argan-growing south it is a point of regional pride, and many families make their own. Because real argan oil is expensive and time-consuming to extract, genuine amlou is a treat — watch out for cheaper versions cut with other oils.

The best place to buy amlou is from women’s argan cooperatives between Marrakech, Essaouira, and Agadir, where you can watch the oil being hand-pressed and taste the spread on the spot. I build cooperative visits into southern itineraries because they support local women and the product is unbeatable. Buy a jar to take home — it is one of Morocco’s great edible souvenirs.