‘Figolli’ are traditional Maltese Easter sweet pastries and their recipe that has been inherited through generations over hundreds of years. At Easter time, these are still very popular on the island, and this is not surprising as they taste great!
Why not try to prepare your own figolli? Here is an easy recipe for tasty figolli:
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 I lemon
A few drops orange flower water
600 grams almonds, ground
The icing
Icing
Royal icing
Small Easter eggs
Pastry: Mix sugar with flour, then rub in the butter until the mixture resembles to fine crumbs. Add the grated lemon rind and the yolks, mixed with a little water to make a dough. Leave to chill.
Almond paste: 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. Remember to 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 stick Bake at 200’C/400’F/gas 6 for 5 minutes, then at 180’C/350’F/gas 4, for about 20 minutes, until pale golden. Cool on the tray.
When cold, coat with icing, then decorate with royal icing in a different colour. While the icing is soft, press a small, foil-wrapped Easter egg in the middle of each shape.
Enjoy!
blog.shortletsmalta.com 