Panellets (Catalan Almond Sweets) Recipe

Panellets

 

Anastasia Turshina / Getty Images 

Prep: 45 mins
Cook: 4 mins
Refrigerate Overnight: 8 hrs
Total: 8 hrs 49 mins
Servings: 32 servings
Yield: 32 cookies

“Panellets” are a traditional sweet from Cataluña, prepared for “Dia de Todos Los Santos” or All Saints Day and served with Moscatel or “cava,” Spanish sparkling wine. It is made of equal parts ground almonds and sugar, formed into balls and decorated with pine nuts, rolled in cocoa powder, candied cherries or coconut flakes. They can also be flavored with coffee or cinnamon. The most popular type is the one rolled in pine nuts.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound raw almonds

  • 1 small potato

  • 2 1/2 cups sugar

  • 1/2 to 1 cup water

  • 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest, from 1 lemon

  • 3 to 4 drops lemon juice

  • Pine nuts, for garnish

  • Sweetened cocoa powder, for garnish

  • Candied fruit, optional

  • Instant coffee powder, optional

  • Coconut flakes, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Blanch almonds, then grind in food processor until almonds are a fine dust.

  2. Peel the potato and cut into quarters. Boil potato in a saucepan until cooked. Drain water and mash with a fork.

  3. Place sugar in a medium saucepan. Pour 1/2 cup water into the pan and stir to dissolve sugar. Add more water to completely dissolve sugar if necessary. Place on medium heat on the stovetop and bring to a boil, stirring often. Add 3 to 4 drops of lemon juice. Reduce heat and simmer until mixture is a thick syrup.

  4. Remove saucepan from heat. Using a large wooden spoon, gradually stir in ground almonds, potato, and grated lemon peel. Allow to cool to room temperature. Then, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.

  5. Pre-heat oven to 380 F. Grease cookie sheets. Spoon out dough with a teaspoon. Roll dough into small balls in your palms. Then roll the balls in powdered cocoa or pine nuts. If using pine nuts, brush each with a bit of egg white. Place on greased cookie sheet.

  6. If you want to flavor the cookies, separate a portion of the dough and with your hands, work in some instant coffee flakes, candied fruit or cinnamon. Then make individual balls.

  7. Bake cookies just long enough to brown the pine nuts - about 4 minutes. Using a spatula, remove immediately before cookies cool.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
156 Calories
8g Fat
20g Carbs
3g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 32
Amount per serving
Calories 156
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g 10%
Saturated Fat 1g 3%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 72mg 3%
Total Carbohydrate 20g 7%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 16g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 1mg 3%
Calcium 39mg 3%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 130mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags: