Figolli

Recipe: Figolli

Everyone’s favourite Maltese Easter treat 😋 This gluten-free recipe makes two figolli

Ingredients

For the Pastry:

  • 450g self raising gluten-free flour
  • 15g psyllium husk powder or 2 tsp xanthan gum
  • Vanilla essence
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon and zest grated
  • Pinch of salt
  • 225g butter/margarine
  • 3 eggs
  • 225g castor sugar

For the Filling:

  • 225g pure ground almonds
  • 125g castor sugar
  • 1/2 tsp almond essence
  • Water to bind

For Decoration:

  • Cover with chocolate, sprinkle with either coloured vermicelli or shredded coconut and ground nuts

Method

For Dough:

  1. Sieve the flour and psyllium husk/xanthan gum in a bowl
  2. Add the butter and rub into the flour until mixture resembles breadcrumbs
  3. Add sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest
  4. Add eggs and mix until a smooth dough is obtained if dough is too soft just add a little flour; if dough is stiff soften by adding a little water)

For Filling:

  1. Mix all filling ingredients together to obtain a smooth paste.

Making the Figolla:

  1. Roll out dough between two sheets of waxed paper (this makes dough easier to handle) to a thickness of around 5mm (or your desired thickness)
  2. Cut out your desired shape
  3. Spread with filling leaving a 1cm space from the edge
  4. Cover with another layer of dough of identical shape, press edges together
  5. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees celcius for about 20-25 minutes
  6. Decorate once completely cooled