Nothing says fall in Barcelona like roasted chestnuts, sweet potatoes… and, of course, panellets! Learn how to make this typical marzipan sweet with our panellets recipe.
Though Halloween has gained popularity in recent years, Catalan families continue to celebrate the traditional fall feast of All Saints Day. And of course, no holiday is complete without its designated treat!
Though there are many different types of panellets, the traditional ones are made with pine nuts. We went to Pastisseria Ideal, a family-run bakery and pastry shop dating back to the early 1900s, to get their recipe which has been passed down through generations. We even got to watch them in action!
Want to try it yourself? Take a stab at Ideal’s traditional panellets recipe below!
Panellets Recipe
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: Catalan
Prep time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Total time: 2 hours 35 minutes
Makes: 30 panellets
Ingredients
- 500 grams (17 oz) ground almonds
- 350 grams (1 3/4 cup) sugar
- 1 egg white
- 150 milliliters (2/3 cup) water
- 200 grams (7 oz) pine nuts
- 2 egg yolks
Instructions
- Put the water and sugar in a pot together and bring to a boil. Stir until the sugar melts and forms a simple syrup.
- Add the ground almonds and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
- Add in the egg white and stir to fully incorporate. If it is very thick, add a splash of water.
- Put the mixture into the refrigerator and let chill for 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 200º Celsius (390º Fahrenheit).
- Use a spoon to form the marzipan into 30 small balls, then roll each one in the pine nuts to coat.
- Whisk the egg yolks together with a few drops of water.
- Place the panellets on a baking sheet and brush them with the egg yolk mixture.
- Bake for about 5 minutes until golden brown. Let cool and enjoy!
Update Notice: This post was originally published on October 30, 2015 and was updated with new text and photos on October 29, 2021.
