Do you know those recipes that take you back in time and traditions? Soft Apulian Almond Pastries is one of those recipes. The deliciousness of these dry pastries, found in every bakery in Apulia, is unparalleled, I assure you. I have always wanted to try making these sweets that I have always bought at a bakery in my city, Taranto, where, in my opinion, we find the best and softest dry pastries. The only downside of these pastries is their really high cost. So I thought, why not make them ourselves? After many attempts, I found the right recipe. I garnished them with almonds on top, but candied cherries are also used on these pastries. I prefer almonds. The recipe calls for equal amounts of sugar and almonds, but there’s the option to increase or decrease the sugar by 20%. I increased it because the more sugar we add, the softer and longer-lasting our dry pastry will be. After many trials, I arrived at these quantities of ingredients, and I must say I’m really satisfied. A tip I give you is to let the pastries rest in the fridge for at least 8 hours or overnight before baking, and another tip is to let them cool well after baking before moving them. Once cold, you can consume them and store them in the fridge to make them last longer and keep them soft over time, although they will surely be gone in no time.
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Rest time: 8 Hours
- Preparation time: 1 Day
- Portions: 23
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Christmas
Ingredients
- 2 cups almonds
- 1.5 cups sugar
- 1/3 cup egg whites
- 4 drops almond extract (bitter)
- 1 lemon (zest grated)
- 23 almonds (for garnish or candied cherries if you prefer)
Tools
- Piping Bag
- Mixer
Steps
First, pour the almonds into boiling water.
Drain after 5 minutes
This way, you can easily remove the skin.
It’s crucial for the success of the recipe to dry the almonds well.
Then, in multiple batches, grind the almonds with the sugar into a powder.
Until all the almonds and sugar are used. You should obtain a powder.
In a glass, place the egg whites and whisk with a fork until foamy.
Add the grated lemon zest
and the drops of bitter almond extract
Now combine the egg whites with the almonds in multiple batches
until you obtain a slightly sticky mixture
Prepare the piping bag with a star nozzle
Place the mixture inside the piping bag
On a baking sheet lined with paper, form the pastries by gently squeezing the piping bag vertically.
Place almonds on each pastry
Let the pastries rest in the fridge covered with plastic wrap for 8 hours. I keep them overnight. Bake in a preheated traditional oven at 356°F for 10 minutes. Cool well before touching the pastries and serving. Store in the fridge covered with parchment paper.
I recommend storing them in the fridge to keep them soft for as long as possible.
