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According to the detailed descriptions in many Italian Purim songs from the 16th and 17th centuries, Purim at the time was quite a production! In particular, the wealthier Jews hosted over-the-top banquets, which included up to 30 courses, alternating savory and sweet dishes. But the highlight was always the desserts! Among the prettiest Purim sweets, perfect for gifting, are these almond paste-based confections popular in several cities, including Venice and Trieste. Almond paste was introduced to Northern and Central Italy by the Sephardic Jews fleeing from Spain, Portugal and Sicily, where they had a long tradition of making elaborate confections with it.
These scrumptious sweets are easy to make as they don’t require cooking, and can be served in mini paper cups or wrapped individually like candy, which makes them great gifts. On Purim we are required to give charity to the poor, and food gifts (משלוח מנות, pronounced Mishloach Manot”) to friends and relatives, consisting of two different types of food, and who wouldn’t like these? They are even gluten-free!
Ingredients
- MONTINI (Bicolor Cone-shaped confections)
- 1/2 pound granulated sugar
- 1/2 pound blanched almonds (this is the traditional version, but they also taste amazing made with pistachio)
- 4 tablespoons packaged egg whites, or more as needed (you could also just use fresh egg whites, which is what we do in Italy, where we like living dangerously…. But the packaged stuff is pasteurized, which makes it safer since we are not cooking it)
- 3.5 ounces bittersweet chocolate (1/2 cup chocolate chips)
- 1/3 cup candied orange or etrog peel
- CHOCOLATE BON-BONS
- 1/2 pound granulated sugar
- 1/2 pound blanched almonds (this is the traditional version, but they also taste amazing made with pistachio)
- 4 tablespoons packaged (pasteurized) egg whites (or more as needed)
- 7 ounces bittersweet chocolate (1 cup chocolate chips)
- GIANDUJA BON_BONS
- ½ pound blanched/peeled hazelnuts
- ½ pound sugar
- 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate (¾ cup chocolate chips)
- 3 tablespoons packaged (pasteurized) egg whites, or more as needed
- 4 tablespoon sweet liqueur (hazelnut, cherry, or rum)
Directions
MONTINI (Bicolor Cone-shaped confections)
Make the almond paste base: place the blanched almonds and the sugar in your food processor with a blade attachment, and process until the almonds are ground and combined with the sugar. Add the egg whites and process more.
Remove from the food processor and knead with your hands until it feels like a smooth dough. If even after kneadingthe paste is still too crumbly, add a little more egg white, but only 1 tablespoon at a time, because you don’t want the paste to get too sticky either.
Now melt the chocolate (you are supposed to do it in a bain-marie but I cheat and use the microwave).
Divide the marzipan into two portions: one should be slightly larger than the other – roll this larger portion into cylinders about 1/3” or max ½” in diameter.
Combine the slightly smaller portion to the melted chocolate, kneading until smooth. Use the chocolate portion to make more cylinders, of the same diameter as the white cylinders.
Attach the cylinders length-wise in couples, one white one dark, and cut into 1” long bicolor pieces.
Shape them into cones with a flattened top, arrange on a platter, and decorate with pieces of candied fruit on top.
*You can also make plain almond Montini without the chocolate, and decorate them with multicolored sprinkles.
CHOCOLATE BON-BONS
Make the almond paste base: place the blanched almonds and the sugar in your food processor with a blade attachment, and process until the almonds are ground and combined with the sugar. Add the egg whites and process more.
Remove from the food processor and knead with your hands until it feels like a smooth dough. If even after kneading the paste is still too crumbly, add a little more egg white, but only 1 tablespoon at a time, because you don’t want the paste to get too sticky either.
Melt the chocolate in a bain-marie or microwave. Using your hands, frorm small balls (1” diameter) with the almond paste.
Dip the bon-bons in the melted chocolate using a fork. Arrange on a parchment-lined platter and allow to dry.
GIANDUJA BON_BONS
Grate the chocolate or grind it in a food processor with a metal blade.
Grind the hazelnuts. Add sugar, egg white and liqueur to the hazelnuts and chocolate. If even after kneading the paste is still too crumbly, add a little more egg white, but only 1 tablespoon at a time, because you don’t want the paste to get too sticky either.
Shape into small balls (1” diameter). Roll in the granulated sugar (or you could go with colorful sprinkles!).
Et voila!
https://dinnerinvenice.com/2012/03/04/almond-paste-bon-bons-parve/
