Figolli

I promise I'll take a better picture this year... It tastes yummy though :)

 

Ingredients:

For the pastry:

350 grams caster sugar

800 grams plain flour, sifted

400 grams butter

Grated rind of 1 lemon

4 egg yolks, beaten

For the almond paste:

600 g caster or icing sugar

2-3 egg whites

Grated rind of 1 lemon

A few drops orange flower water

600 grams almonds, ground

To finish:

Glacé icing or chocolate for covering

Royal icing for decoration

Small Easter eggs

Method:

Make the pastry:

mix the sugar with the flour, then rubbing in the butter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.

Add the grated lemon rind and the yolks, mixed with a little water to make a pliable dough.

Leave to chill.

Make the filling:

Add the sugar, orange flower water and lemon rind to the ground almonds, and bind with the egg whites.

Roll out the pastry and cut out your shapes.

Make two of each figure as they will be sandwiched with almond paste.

Lay the first shape on a greased and floured baking tray, spread with almond paste, leaving a small margin.

Lay the second shape over the top and press the edges together.

It helps if you wet the edges with a pastry brush to ensure adhesion.

Bake at 200 degrees C for 5 minutes, then at 180 degrees C for about 20 minutes, until pale golden.

Cool on the tray.

Finishing:

When cold, coat with glacé icing or melted chocolate, then decorate with royal icing in a different colours.

While the icing or chocolate is soft, press a small, foil-wrapped Easter egg in the middle of each shape.