Panellets are a typical sweet from Catalonia, Aragon, and the Balearic Islands, especially enjoyed during the Castanyada festival, celebrated on November 1st, coinciding with All Saints' Day. These delicious marzipan bites, traditionally coated in pine nuts, are a symbol of autumn cuisine, but they have also gained popularity in other regions of Spain. While you can find them in bakeries, making panellets at home is a rewarding and simple experience. Here’s how to make them step by step.
Basic Ingredients
To make homemade panellets, you need just a few high-quality ingredients. Here’s the basic recipe for about 30 panellets:
- 250 g ground almonds
- 200 g sugar
- 150 g pine nuts (for decoration)
- 1 large egg
- Zest of 1 lemon
- A little water (optional)
- Optional: cocoa powder, grated coconut, or instant coffee (for different flavors)
Making the Marzipan
Prepare the marzipan: The base of panellets is a marzipan dough made by mixing the ground almonds and sugar in a large bowl. Add the lemon zest, which gives a fresh citrusy touch. Then, lightly beat the egg and gradually add it to the mixture, kneading with your hands until you have a homogeneous and compact dough. If the dough feels too dry, you can add a few drops of water to make it more workable.
Rest the dough: Once the dough is ready, cover it with plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for at least an hour. This step is important to firm up the dough, making it easier to work with later.
Shaping the Panellets
Shape the balls: After resting, take the dough out of the fridge and start forming small balls, about the size of a walnut, which is the traditional shape for panellets. Make sure all the balls are the same size for even cooking.
Coat with pine nuts: To make classic pine nut panellets, roll the balls in pine nuts. It’s a good idea to lightly moisten each ball with a little water or egg white to help the pine nuts stick.
Baking
- Bake: Preheat your oven to 180°C. Place the panellets on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake them for 10-12 minutes, or until golden on the outside but still soft on the inside. Keep an eye on them as they bake quickly.
Variations
If you want to experiment with different flavors, you can add cocoa powder, grated coconut, or instant coffee to the base dough to create various flavored panellets. Just mix these ingredients into the dough before shaping the balls.
Enjoy
Once the panellets have cooled, they are ready to enjoy. These homemade treats are perfect for sharing with family and celebrating the arrival of autumn in a delicious way.