Figolli (Maltese Easter Biscuits) Recipe

These are a type of Maltese gingerbread men that are cut into all kinds of shapes and which are most especially popular, in their decorated form, at Easter. Figolli is the plural form and Figolla is the singular.

Go to the printable version of the recipe

Figolli (Maltese Easter Biscuits) Recipe

Ingredients:

For the Pastry:

350g (1 2/3 cups) caster sugar
800g (6 3/4 cups) plain flour, sifted
400g (2 cups) butter, diced
freshly-grated zest of 1 lemon
4 egg yolks, beaten
cold water, to bind

For the Almond Paste:

600g (3 cups) caster (or icing [confectioners']) sugar
3 egg whites, lightly beaten
freshly-grated zest of 1 lemon
a few drops of orange flower water
600g (1 1/2 lbs) ground almonds

For the Decoration:

glacé icing
Royal icing
small Easter eggs

Method:

Begin with the pastry. Combine the sugar and flour in a bowl then add the butter and rub into the flour mix with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in the lemon zest and the egg yolks and stir to combine. Now add just enough cold water to bring the mixture together as a dough. Form into a ball, cover with clingfilm (plastic wrap) and set aside in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, to chill.

In the meantime, prepare the almond paste. Combine the sugar, orange flower water and lemon zest in a bowl then add to the ground almonds. Stir to mix then add just enough of the egg whites to bring the mixture together as a paste.

When the pastry has chilled sufficiently, turn out onto a lightly-floured work surface and roll out to about 4mm thick. Cut out any shapes you like from the pastry (but make two of each shape, as they will be sandwiched together with the almond paste).

Transfer the first of each pair of shapes onto a greased an floured baking tray then spread the almond paste over the top, leaving a small margin all the way around the outside. Lay the second shape over the top then gently press the edges together to seal (it may help if you brush the edges of the pastry with water to help them stick).

Place in an oven pre-heated to 180ºC (350ºF) and bake for about 20 minutes, or until pale golden and cooked through. Allow to cool completely on the baking tray before coating with glacé icing. Allow to harden then decorate with royal icing in different colours. Whilst the icing is still soft, press in a small Easter eggs in the centre or each biscuit. Allow the icing to harden before serving.


Printable version of the Recipe

malta, easter, baking, biscuits, cookies, vegetarian
Baking
Malta
Figolli (Maltese Easter Biscuits) https://fabulousfusionfood.blogspot.com/2019/04/figolli-maltese-easter-biscuits-recipe.html Figolli (Maltese Easter Biscuits). This is a traditional Maltese recipe for an Easter biscuit (cookie) cut in many decorative forms where the pastry casing is stuffed with citrusy almond paste and the top is decorated. https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlyFS48Wa_xHce_0aQXLMfn5gZLV4t4CTrwoV2zU4ytchu2QhPTtBve1R98IFrrAFzFSuBZnIL-QkFSitRkuFpE7yBOF6OmBSdVQCxRcE_HTfza1qRjAXnzo0Mf2zaqVlWVYTWUuhjSFE/s1600/easter-figolli-figolla.png 2019-04-19
Yield: 12–18

Figolli (Maltese Easter Biscuits)

Figolli (Maltese Easter Biscuits). This is a traditional Maltese recipe for an Easter biscuit (cookie) cut in many decorative forms where the pastry casing is stuffed with citrusy almond paste and the top is decorated.
prep time: 40 mins cook time: 40 mins total time: 80 mins

Ingredients:

    For the Pastry:

  • 350g (1 2/3 cups) caster sugar
  • 800g (6 3/4 cups) plain flour, sifted
  • 400g (2 cups) butter, diced
  • freshly-grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 4 egg yolks, beaten
  • cold water, to bind

    • For the Almond Paste:

  • 600g (3 cups) caster (or icing [confectioners']) sugar
  • 3 egg whites, lightly beaten
  • freshly-grated zest of 1 lemon
  • a few drops of orange flower water

    • For the Decoration:

  • glacé icing
  • Royal icing
  • small Easter eggs

Method:

  1. Begin with the pastry. Combine the sugar and flour in a bowl then add the butter and rub into the flour mix with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in the lemon zest and the egg yolks and stir to combine. Now add just enough cold water to bring the mixture together as a dough. Form into a ball, cover with clingfilm (plastic wrap) and set aside in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, to chill.
  2. In the meantime, prepare the almond paste. Combine the sugar, orange flower water and lemon zest in a bowl then add to the ground almonds. Stir to mix then add just enough of the egg whites to bring the mixture together as a paste.
  3. When the pastry has chilled sufficiently, turn out onto a lightly-floured work surface and roll out to about 4mm thick. Cut out any shapes you like from the pastry (but make two of each shape, as they will be sandwiched together with the almond paste).
  4. Transfer the first of each pair of shapes onto a greased an floured baking tray then spread the almond paste over the top, leaving a small margin all the way around the outside. Lay the second shape over the top then gently press the edges together to seal (it may help if you brush the edges of the pastry with water to help them stick).
  5. Place in an oven pre-heated to 180ºC (350ºF) and bake for about 20 minutes, or until pale golden and cooked through. Allow to cool completely on the baking tray before coating with glacé icing. Allow to harden then decorate with royal icing in different colours. Whilst the icing is still soft, press in a small Easter eggs in the centre or each biscuit. Allow the icing to harden before serving.
Figolli (Maltese Easter Biscuits)
© Dyfed Lloyd Evans

For more Easter recipes and a little about the history of Easter go to my Easter information and Easter Recipes page.

Comments

Post a Comment