The Marzallette with honey are a traditional Calabrian sweet, made with just a few essential ingredients such as honey, almonds, spices and citrus. These fragrant, delicious cookies are also known as soft mostaccioli, although their texture can become crisper with a short double baking. This recipe follows the traditional method, with a long resting time for the dough that brings out the aromas, making them perfect to enjoy on their own, with a sweet wine or to give as gifts during the holidays. Now let’s see together what you need to prepare these Calabrian soft mostaccioli:
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Rest time: 12 Hours
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 25
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup honey (preferably chestnut (about 350 g / 12.3 oz))
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 tsp baking soda
- Zest of 1/2 lemon and 1/2 orange, grated
- ground cinnamon (1 teaspoon)
- ground cloves (1 teaspoon)
- 1 1/3 cups unpeeled almonds (about 200 g / 7 oz)
Steps
Place the flour, honey, baking soda, the spices (cinnamon and cloves) and the grated lemon and orange zests in a large bowl. Mix until you obtain a homogeneous, compact mixture.
Coarsely chop the unpeeled almonds or leave them whole for a more rustic texture. Incorporate them into the dough and mix evenly.
Shape into a loaf, cover and let rest at room temperature overnight.
Take the dough and roll it out on a lightly floured surface until you obtain a rectangle of about 15 3/4 x 7 7/8 inches (40 x 20 cm), with a thickness of about 3/4 inch (2 cm).
Preheat the oven to 374°F. Arrange the marzallette on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for about 30 minutes, checking for a golden color.
Let cool slightly and use a sharp knife to cut cookies about 3/4 inch (2 cm) thick. For a crispier version, return them to the oven for 5 minutes per side after the first baking.
Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a rack. Enjoy them soft once cooled or store in an airtight container to keep them fragrant.
Bon appétit and… see you in the next recipe!
If you try this recipe, be sure to tag #ipasticcinidinina on Instagram so I can see it and share it with the community.
