Figolli are Maltese traditional sweets eaten in the Easter period. Since everyone asked for a healthy version on facebook, here is my alternative and guilt free figolli version. This recipe is gluten free, grain free and paleo.
Figolli are usually made of a sweet almond paste filling between a sweet pie crust. They are then covered with icing or chocolate. I used ground almonds for the pie crust instead of the conventional flour and sugar. I decided to use homemade apple sauce as a major ingredient in the filling and adding only a little more almonds in the filling. The result has a different and softer texture but it is very tasty and with a similar flavor to the well known figolli. Anyone who doesn’t like figolli because they are dry will love this recipe!
It is best to store these figolli inside refregirator. Enjoy and Happy Easter!
Start by making the apple sauce following instructions found here. Let cool.
To make pastry blend all dry ingredient together in the food processor.
Lightly whisk the pastry wet ingredients together and then mix into the dry ingredients until dough is formed.
Cover dough with cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
In the meantime prepare almond filling. Mix all ingredients together and simmer for about 12 minutes until thickened.
Take out the dough from fridge and divide into two parts. Take one part and place it between two baking sheets. Flatten with rolling pin. The sheets will prevent the dough from sticking to the rolling pin or work surface.
Cut out shapes by using an Easter cookie cutter. Remember that you need two cutouts for one figolla.
Use a flat spatula to transfer the pastry shape onto a lined baking tray.
Distribute some of the filling onto each shape leaving a 1cm margin from the edge.
Work out the second batch of shapes and using a flat spatula to transfer the cutouts over the filled bottoms pressing the edge together to seal well.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until the top turns light golden brown.
Remove from the oven and let cool in tray for 5/10 minutes until they are cool enough to handle. Then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. (Don’t leave them to cool in the baking tray as they will become soggy from the condensation formed).
To decorate, melt chocolate in a double broiler, cover figolli with chocolate and sprinkle over some chopped pistachio nuts or coconut.
Cover finished figolli with cling film and store in the refrigerator. This recipe makes 5 small sized figolli.
For the filling you mean you simmer the egg whites?