Sicilian Stuffed Almond and Pistachio Pastries

🛒 Ingredients

• 250 g Almond flour (or finely ground blanched almonds)
• 200 g Granulated sugar
• 2 (circa 70 g) Egg whites
• 10 g Honey (preferably acacia)
• 1/2 limone Grated zest of untreated lemon
• 3 gocce Bitter almond extract (optional)
• 200 g HIGH PISTACHIO CREAM 20% FARCITELLA MIO
• 50 g Coarsely chopped pistachios (for decoration)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. Passo 1: In a large bowl, combine almond flour and granulated sugar. Mix well to combine.
2. Passo 2: Add the grated lemon zest and, if desired, the bitter almond extract.
3. Passo 3: Add the egg whites (unbeaten) and honey. Knead the mixture with your hands or with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until you get a homogeneous, soft, and slightly sticky dough. Do not overmix.
4. Passo 4: Cover the dough with cling film, touching the surface, and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This will help make it more manageable.
5. Passo 5: Preheat a static oven to 170°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
6. Passo 6: Take small portions of dough (about 20-25g each) and form them into balls. Using your thumb or a teaspoon, create a small indentation in the center of each ball.
7. Passo 7: Arrange the balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them adequately.
8. Passo 8: With the help of a piping bag (fitted with a plain nozzle) or a teaspoon, fill the indentation of each pastry with about 8-10g of MIO Pistachio Cream.
9. Passo 9: Decorate the surface of the cream with coarsely chopped pistachios.
10. Passo 10: Bake for about 12-15 minutes. The pastries should be lightly golden on the edges and base, but remain soft inside and light on the surface. They should not darken too much.
11. Passo 11: Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the baking sheet before handling and transferring them. The cream will set as it cools.

💡 Chef's Tips

• To get moister pastries that stay fresh longer, it is essential not to overbake them. The center should remain soft.
• If the dough is too sticky after resting in the fridge, slightly dampen your hands with water before forming the balls.
• For a more intense flavor, you can add 20-30g of finely chopped pistachios to the almond dough before adding the egg whites.
• Store the pastries in an airtight container at room temperature to maintain their freshness for several days.