The Easter Figolla is very famous and traditional on the Rock and is always expected during Easter. Many people buy these, however many other families make home made ones.
Ingredients: Figolla
For pastry
2 lbs flour
1 lb sugar
1 lb butter
1 lemon zest (optional)
4 egg yolks
For the filling
1lb sugar
2/3 egg whites
1lb grounded almonds
A few drops of orange or almond extract
Glaze
Egg whites and powdered sugar - to make it thin enough to pour over the pastry
Icing
Use your favorite royal icing to decorate!
Set aside another 1 or 2 egg whites for when you are putting the cookie dough together.
Dough
Mix sugar with flour and rub in the butter. Add the lemon zest and the egg yolks with the flour/sugar mixture and mix all together to make a dough. Leave the dough to chill.
Filling
Add the sugar and the egg whites and the ground almonds. (extract optional)
Putting it all together
Roll the dough out, and make shapes. You will make 2 of the same shape for each cookie. Lay one of the shapes flat on the table and lay some of the almond filling flat in the middle. Brush egg whites around the outside of the shape and press the other corresponding shape around the filling to cover the bottom. Place completed cookie onto a greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 200C (400F) for 6 minutes and 180C (350F) for another 20 minutes. Once cookies are cold, decorate them with the glaze and colorful icing.
