If you ever visit Sicily in the Spring, make sure that you visit an almond farm. Take part in a tasting of fresh almonds—sometimes still soft and milky—alongside products made on site: marzipan, almond biscuits, perhaps a spoon of almond granita or a sip of almond milk. You will be amazed by the difference between something made close to the land and something bought elsewhere.
I fell in love with all the almond biscuits sold everywhere on the island and I hope you enjoy these.
Ingredients
For the almond filling
- 300g ground almonds
- 200g caster sugar
- 2 egg whites
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 lemon (or orange)
- Optional: 1 tablespoon honey (for softness)
For the pastry (pasta frolla)
- 250g plain flour
- 125g butter, cold and cubed
- 100g caster sugar
- 1 whole egg
- 1 egg yolk
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Pinch of salt
To finish
Icing sugar for dusting
Method
Preheat the oven to 170C or 160C fan assisted.
In a bowl, mix the ground almonds and sugar.
Add egg whites gradually until you get a soft, pliable paste (not too wet).
Add vanilla and zest. Rest for 20–30 minutes. It should feel like soft marzipan.
To make the dough, rub butter into flour until sandy. Add sugar, lemon zest, salt.
Mix in egg and yolk to form a dough and bring together gently — do not overwork.
Wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
When ready to assemble, roll the pastry to about 3–4 mm thick and cut into circles.
Shape balls of almond paste and place in the centre of each circle. Fold over to create little moon shaped parcels. Seal lightly but don’t press too hard. A small fork is handy to press the pastries together to seal.
Bake at 170°C (fan 160°C) for about 18–22 minutes until just lightly golden — not too dark.
Cool the pastries completely and dust generously with icing sugar.