Did you know that it has been officially included in the list of traditional Italian agri-food products by the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies?
In Puglia it is considered a typical dessert of the Salento pastry tradition.
Almond paste is sometimes used as a synonym for marzipan , which however is slightly different.
What's the difference between marzipan and almond paste? Marzipan is traditionally made with the addition of egg whites and is therefore classified as a type of almond paste, made unique by its typical decorations, usually depicting fruit.
Today, in fact, marzipan or almond paste are used for the same preparations, with or without egg white.
Almond paste is typical of the southern regions and is used as a base for many desserts: for example Sicilian pizzicotti, pasticcini ricci or Apulian almond paste pastries.
Depending on the region it is indicated in different ways in dialect: pasta te mennule or pasta ti mennuli in Apulian and Salento, pàsta riàli in Sicilian and pasta de ammìänduli in Calabrian.
It is said that the origins of almond paste are very ancient and that already in 1100 in a convent in Palermo they were prepared
It can be easily prepared at home, but be careful to handle it very delicately and without overworking it.
A little trick : the quality improves by increasing the almond content at the expense of the sugar content.
The almond paste can be flavored in various ways with kirsch, vanilla, coffee, cinnamon, or chocolate.
It can also be enriched with a fruit puree, such as strawberry, raspberry, pineapple or banana.
Almond paste is also sold in 500g packaged blocks, which can be found in supermarkets (especially in Southern Italy) or online.
Once opened, if stored in the refrigerator it can keep for up to a year.
Almond paste dessert recipe
But how do you prepare almond paste sweets at home ?
Making almond paste sweets is very simple and can also be an original DIY gift idea for Christmas.
Ingredients:
- 1 kg of peeled almonds
- 400 g of sugar
- 3 medium whole eggs
- some coffee beans or almonds
Procedure :
- Start by placing the almonds in a blender, turn it on, and blend until you obtain a not-too-fine paste. To avoid overheating the blender blades, this first phase can be done in several steps.
- Add the sugar.
- Place the resulting dough on the work surface and give it the classic fountain shape.
- Add the mandarin and orange peel and the whole eggs.
- Start kneading until you get a fairly firm mixture.
- Prepare some baking trays and line them with baking paper.
- Place the mixture in a piping bag with a ridged nozzle and begin forming the sweets on the baking trays, well spaced apart.
- Shape into small meringues or donuts.
- Top each pastry with an almond or coffee bean.
- Leave to dry for 10 minutes, then place in a hot oven at 200°C for about 10 minutes, until they are lightly golden.
Almond paste sweets can be stored at room temperature for up to 7 days, covered with a cake net or a clean tea towel.
However, we recommend storing them in tins for sweets or glass jars.
If you prefer, you can also try preparing married figs !
Making almond paste as a Christmas gift
As a Christmas gift idea or for other occasions suitable for those with a sweet tooth, almond paste can be an original way to create a DIY gift.
After preparing them following our recipe, simply place them in small Christmas tins or glass jars and decorate with ribbons, string, pine cones, red berries, holly, or whatever you prefer.
Don't forget the personalized ticket.
Other original gift ideas that are sure to please everyone are bottles of quality extra virgin olive oil, even better if they're designer. In Italy, extra virgin olive oil is a staple in every home, and choosing bottles as gifts is a great way to support the traditional economy and the Mediterranean diet.
If you're not sure where to start, we offer a wide selection of Frantoio D'Orazio products to suit all tastes and needs.
