Traditional Maltese Figolli Recipe - The Sweet Balance (2024)

Figolli (pronounced fig-all-lee) are traditional Maltese pastries enjoyed during the Easter holiday and this recipe does not disappoint. They have a delicious crumbly crust made of shortcrust pastry and an almond paste filling. They are usually prepared a few weeks in advance and stored away to be opened on Easter Sunday. Of course, if you are anything like me, they’ll be long gone by then. Luckily, you can always make more! Store-bought ones do not compare to homemade figolli so I totally recommend baking your own. It’s a fun Easter tradition for most families as well!

How Traditional Maltese Figolli are made (Recipe below)

Traditional figolli are shaped using various large cutters such as eggs, bunnies, chicks, hearts, sheep and butterflies. The cutters are specifically for figolli since they are much larger than regular cookie cutters. The Maltese love quantity as much as quality when it comes to food. Most commonly, we cover them in coloured icing and decorate with a small chocolate egg in the centre. But you can really customize your figolla however you prefer. Some opt for chocolate and sprinkles and others go with the more traditional icing and chocolate egg.

This year I decided to make small ones using an egg-shaped cutter. I was inspired by Cadbury mini eggs, which I absolutely love. To keep with the theme (and due to personal preference), I decorated them in pastel-coloured white chocolate instead of icing. I then used some edible food colouring to make the speckles to resemble the mini eggs. I think this gave them a fun modern twist and the result is minimal and refined.

The size is the perfect serving to eat all at once without feeling the guilt or upset stomach. Since the filling is mostly almond and sugar, they are high in calories and should be enjoyed in moderation. Having said that, I did end up eating a lot of these myself over a couple of days. And before Easter actually arrived. So, that only means one thing: It’s time to go make more!

Ingredients

Pastry

500g plain flour
227g cold butter, grated
150g caster sugar
Zest of 1 large lemon
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 medium egg yolks
60ml water

Almond Paste Filling

250g pure ground almonds
250g caster sugar
2 medium egg whites
1 tsp almond extract (optional)

Other ingredients

2 tbsp milk of choice, to brush the pastry
400g white chocolate, chopped
2 tbsp flavourless oil
Food colouring gels for the white chocolate
Food colouring powders for the speckles (optional)
1/2 tsp vodka to mix with the powders (optional)

Instructions

Preparing the pastry and filling

In a large bowl, combine flour with the grated butter with your hands or a pastry blender. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well until smooth.
Transfer the pastry to a flat surface and divide in half. Wrap each half in cling film and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. One half will be the base and the other half the surface.
To make the filling, whisk the ground almonds with the sugar. Pour in the egg whites and almond extract (optional) to form a sturdy paste. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate along with the pastry.

Assembling and baking

Prepare a baking sheet with a double layer of parchment paper. Preheat oven to 200°c / 392°F.
Roll out one half of the pastry on a floured surface to 0.5cm / 0.2" thickness. Use your cutter to cut out the shapes and transfer to the prepared sheet, at least 2cm / 0.8" apart.
Roll out the almond paste filling and use the same cutter as the pastry. Press the sides of the cut filling inward to make it smaller. Place on top of the pastry shapes in the baking sheet. Brush the edges of the pastry (around the filling) with milk.
Roll out the second half of the pastry and cut out the shapes. Transfer the pastry on top of the filling to make the surface. Press the edges to glue it down to the base that has been brushed with milk.
Brush the surface with a very light layer of milk. Bake for 18-20 minutes and take out before they start to get golden. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool.

Decorating

Melt the white chocolate (or chocolate of preference) until smooth. Stir in 2 tbsp of flavourless oil (for shine and texture).
(Optional) Add the food colour gel to the divided chocolate. (You can use a drop of lilac to reduce the yellow tones from the white one.)
Place a baking sheet underneath the cooling rack. Pour the white chocolate over the figolli. You can reuse the white chocolate that drips into the baking sheet.
Let the chocolate dry completely (ideally do not refrigerate).
(Optional) Mix some purple food colouring powder with 1/2 a tsp of vodka to make the speckles. Use a brush and your fingers to speckle.
Enjoy!

Notes

Store in a cool dry place wrapped in cling film for up to a month.

My cutter size: 8cm by 6cm / 3.25" by 2.5". If you are using a bigger cutter, simply bake for a few more minutes. Keep an eye on them and take them out of the oven before they start to get golden.

For gluten free figolli, simple use GF flour and add 1/4 tsp xanthan gum.

Traditional Maltese Figolli Recipe - The Sweet Balance (5)

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