Panellets are a traditional sweet from Catalonia, the Valencian Community and the Balearic Islands, particularly prepared on November 1, All Saints’ Day. This day is also the day on which the Castañada (Castanyada) is celebrated in Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Aragon.
The present day panellets date back to the 18th century, although it is believed that their actual origin lies in the Arab cuisine due to the use of almonds. It is a sweet that has many variations, as there are panellets made with chocolate, coffee, orange, pistachio, coconut, etc. However, the traditional ones are the ones we show you in this recipe, made with a marzipan dough prepared with ground almond, sugar, egg and lemon zest; a dough that is covered with pine nuts. A very simple recipe that you cannot miss!
Ingredients for the Panellets Recipe:
For the marzipan:
- 150 g of ground almonds
- 125 g of sugar
- 1 egg
- Lemon zest
For covering the Panellets:
- 100 g of pine nuts
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 egg
How to Make It:
- Put the ground almonds in a bowl with the sugar and the lemon zest. Stir slightly.
- Beat an egg and add it to the bowl little by little, stirring and incorporating it into the dough with the help of a spatula until it is completely integrated.
- When the dough texture is a bit more solid, knead it with your hands so that the almond releases its oil. Then take it out of the bowl and form a smooth ball, which you have to shape into a long cylinder. Wrap it up with cling film and leave it in the fridge for about 12 hours.
- Soak the pine nuts for about 30 minutes. When that time has passed, drain them. Also beat the two egg yolks needed to coat the panellets.
- After 12 hours, cut the dough into small portions of the same size and shape them into a small ball.
- Dip each portion into the beaten yolks and then into the pine nuts. Press them a little so that they stick well. Place the panellets on a baking tray covered with parchment.
- Beat the remaining egg and, using a brush, “paint” the panellets on the tray with it.
- Put the tray in the oven preheated to 230ºC, just the upper part. The panellets do not require much time, so in about 8 minutes they will have acquired their characteristic toasted colour.
- Once they are ready, let them cool down before removing them from the tray.
