Maltese Figolli
Nothing says Easter in Malta quite like freshly baked figolla! These traditional almond-filled pastries, shaped into fun figures and decorated with chocolate or colourful icing, are truly a labour of love!
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Ingredients - Serves 3 Figolli
- 600 600g/1.3lbs Plain Flour
- 250 250g/9oz Butter, cubed
- 200 200g/7oz Sugar
- 2 Tsp Baking Powder
- 2 Tsp Lemon zest
- 1 Tsp Vanilla Essence
- 4 Egg Yolks
- 300 300g/10.5oz Almonds, roasted
- 200 200g/7oz Almonds
- 300 300g/10.5oz Icing Sugar (Powdered Sugar)
- 4 Egg Whites
- 1 Tsp Almond Essence
- 2 Tsp Lemon Zest
- 200g/7oz Milk Chocolate
Dough:
Almond Filling:
Decorate:
Methods
- In a Mixer bowl, add the flour, sugar, zest and baking powder. Mix together, then add the butter and bring to crumbs.
- Add the egg yolks mixed with vanilla essence and mix until a smooth dough forms.
- Wrap in clingfilm and let it rest for 30 minutes in the fridge.
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Roll out the dough on a floured surface not too thin. With the figolli cutter, cut the dough into the shapes you want and place them on the sheet of parchment paper, leaving some space between one another.
- Place a generous amount of almond filling on the dough, leaving a little space around the edge. With your finger, dampen the edge of the dough with water.
- Cover the almond filling with another piece of dough with the same shape and seal the the edges.
- Bake the figolli for about 30 minutes or until lightly golden.
- When the figolli are cooked let them rest on the baking tray, then move to a cooling rack to cool completely before covering in chocolate.
- Melt the chocolate in the microwave or bain-marie and brush over figolli to completely cover with chocolate.
- Decorate the figolli with royal icing, sprinkles or toppings you like.
- Enjoy!
Dough -
Almond Filling -
Decoration -