Sweets that captivate the five senses
There are recipes that are not family, that did not accompany your childhood but that become yours because you fall madly in love with them. Just as happens in life with the people you choose and who, in a certain sense, represent you and are able to mark your path.
Recipes often look at you from those pages, even when the book is closed. You look back, but you don't dare because you don't feel up to it. Then, one day, you finally try and… it's done! Mind you, it doesn't only happen with the most complex recipes, but also with the simplest ones. Maybe because you have a sort of awe towards timeless tradition (even worse if you don't have a term of comparison). If you think that there can't be an easy-to-prepare recipe... well, you're on the right track. In fact, although it may seem simpler than others, a recipe is never obvious . So, we tried and tried to achieve the balance we were looking for. Once we found it, we discovered that we cannot help but prepare these delicious morsels, always highly anticipated and requested.
Almond balls are small comforts, little whims that you can no longer do without. "Bonbons" all year round and for all tastes! Their best time is, above all, from November to Easter, but many guests have also enjoyed them in summer. You just need to find (and know how to store) good Sicilian almond flour ! It is a simple sweet, delicious and with inebriating aromas.
Balls: variations
The Marsala balls pair divinely with coffee frost and with puddings, creams and chocolate mousses. Furthermore, they make the decorations of cakes and chocolate rolls more beautiful but, above all, they are seasonless!
Likewise, the balls with the pistachio heart can be enjoyed at any time of the year. To be enjoyed simply alone, in "chocolate" combinations, with ricotta cream cake, or with almond blancmange. Poetry!
Instead, the orange balls , accompanied by pastry and citrus juice, are irresistible from November to April. You can always enjoy them using an orange rosolio prepared by you, or a Grand Marnier or a Cointreau. They too are perfect with the delicacies we have suggested.
The balls are simple to prepare, but well in advance because, as practically always happens with desserts, the longer they rest the better they are . Plus, unless you make hundreds of them, they require little preparation: a great choice for unexpected guests! These "whims" are even perfect as gifts, perhaps in unique and original packaging that enhances their beauty. It is not a purely aesthetic appreciation! In fact, they possess a refinement of ancient elegance that captivates the five senses. Well yes, hearing must also be considered, since "mmhhh" is the typical sound emitted by those who taste them!
Today we present to you the ones we probably love the most: Marsala almond balls.
Ingredients (for about 30 pellets)
- 150 g of good Sicilian almond flour
- 150 g of granulated sugar
- Approximately 130 g of brown sugar (light and blended)
- A few bitter almonds ground into flour
- 6 drops of almond essence
- 3 tablespoons of good dry Marsala
Method
In a bowl mix the flour and sugar , the bitter almonds (or essence) and the Marsala .
Be careful: the spoon you use as a measuring spoon must be table spoon and old-fashioned . (You know those nice soup spoons from good service? Now, those give you the perfect amount of liquid!).
Mix briefly with a fork and then knead with your hands. Initially, you will get large crumbs: you have to compact them quickly (as if you were preparing Martorana fruit). Yes, because these little comforts are nothing more than flavored almond paste. Precisely for this reason you must be careful not to overheat it too much, otherwise it will produce excess almond oil, making it difficult to combine the ingredients and finish the dessert, which, among other things, would become dry in a few days.
But let's get back to the preparation. Form balls smaller than a walnut, working them with the palms of your hands, and roll them in granulated sugar . Place them in paper cups and leave them uncovered for half a day . Then cover them with a napkin, so that they can breathe, and leave them there for a couple of days before offering them. But, as I explained previously, you can also consume them immediately. They will just be softer and less aromatic.
If you decide to try the orange almond balls , just replace the Marsala with Rosolio . If you use juice, however, reduce the sugar according to the sweetness of the orange and add its grated zest. In this case, you will have to strictly use untreated and Sicilian oranges (needless to say!).
Happy comfortable tantrums to everyone!
Enjoy your meal in the name of ancient tradition and family warmth.
