Figolli

Traditional Maltese Figolli made for Easter :) They are made with shortcrust pastry filled with an almond mixture, then decorated with chocolate or royal icing. It is important to use the filling immediately or the mixture might harden. It is important to leave the figolli to cool well after taking them out of the oven, or it might break.

Ingredients:
Makes about 5 small (hand sized)

• Sweet Shortcrust Pastry
• 300g ground almonds
• 200g caster sugar (or granulated sugar)
• 3 egg whites
• 1 lemon zest
• 5 half easter eggs
• Soft Flooding icing
• Royal icing

Directions:
Mix the almonds, sugar, egg whites and zest together.

Roll out the pastry to about 4 mm thickness. Put the shape of your figolla cutter and press lightly on the pastry. Fill the shape with the filling mixture, then go around the border with a finger dipped in water to help seal the edges. Cover with another pastry layer. Press around the mixture lightly to put out any air bubbles and then cut with the figolla cutter.   

Bake in a 180 degree C pre-heated oven for 35 minutes until golden. Cool throughly then cover with the flooding icing. Once dry, decorate with the royal icing by piping designs over the figolla. Stick half an easter egg on each figolla.

Happy Easter!