Figolla Recipe

Figolli (plural of “Figolla”) are traditional Maltese Easter pastry which are believed to have Ancient Sicilian roots as the word comes from the Sicilian word “figulina” which means figure. Figulini were baked for religious purposes and to celebrate victory against invaders. Figolli are not as popular nowadays in modern Sicily as they were in Ancient Sicily, however the tradition has stayed and evolved in Malta. Figolli are essentially made of sweet dough filled with an almond based filling. Figolli are often baked in various shapes such as rabbits, fish, hearts, lambs, mermaids, ducks, bears, and are often decorated with icing or chocolate.

Figolli are part of the tradition and culture in Malta during the Easter period. They are often given or exchanged as gifts to friends and family during the Easter celebrations. In various villages around Malta and Gozo there is also a tradition where Figolli are blessed by a priest in the square outside the church.

Figolli Recipe (4x Figolli)

Ingredients for the dough:

800g Self-Raising Flour
300g Castor Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Powder
Pinch of Table Salt
300g Margarine
4 Eggs
Grated Lemon Zest

Ingredients for the filling:

270g Pure Almonds
170g Castor Sugar
100g Icing Sugar
1tsp Vanilla Powder
1 Egg
Grated Lemon Zest

Method for the dough:

Leave the margarine outside the refrigerator for around 4 hours to soften and reach room temperature. Sieve the flour and add the margarine in small cubes into the bowl. Use the beater attachment of your Domo kitchen machine to start the rubbing in the process of making the dough. Once ready, place the flour sieved in the margarine in a separate bowl and add the eggs into the kitchen machine’s bowl and use the whisk attachment to beat the eggs. Add the castor sugar and keep whisking. Add the vanilla powder, salt, grated lemon zest, and the flour and margarine mixture. Use the dough hook attachment of your kitchen machine and knead until a smooth dough is obtained. You may add some water if needed.

Method for the filling:

Start by whisking the castor sugar and egg together using the whisk attachment of your Domo kitchen machine. Once ready, add the ground almonds, icing sugar, vanilla powder, lemon zest and 1 egg. Use the beater attachment at a slow speed to mix them together. It is advised to not use the kitchen machine on high speed since the mixture will be rather hard.

Making the Figolla:

Preheat the oven to 170°C. Roll the dough on a floured surface using a rolling pin and cut the shapes of your choice. Lay them on a tray lined with a backing sheet and lay the shape-cut dough next to each other. Spread the filling and leave a margin all around. Cut the same shapes as before, place them on top of the filling, and press around the edges. Cook in the preheated oven at a temperature of 170°C for 20 minutes.

Leave them to cool down (ideally overnight) to decorate. Put some water in a pot and start boiling the water. Put a smaller pot on top of it, leaving no space where water vapor comes out. Put in pieces of chocolate into the smaller pot and melt the chocolate. Important to avoid water vapor getting mixed with chocolate. Spread the chocolate on the figolla, and decorate using mixed sprinkles, pearl crispy sprinkles, small chocolate Easter eggs, etc.