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Calissons d'Aix
Almond and candied melon sweets with white icing from Aix-en-Provence (calissoun)
Calissons are the sweet of Aix-en-Provence: a soft paste of ground almonds and candied melon pressed onto wafer paper, glazed with a thin white icing and cut into a pointed oval. Confectioners in the old town sell them in diamond-shaped boxes, they are handed out at weddings and christenings, and each September they are blessed in a church service in Aix. They also belong among the thirteen desserts of Christmas. Candied melon can be hard to find outside Provence; candied orange peel and dried apricot give a close result. The icing uses raw egg white, dried in a low oven, so use pasteurised egg white if you are serving anyone pregnant or vulnerable. Chef's tip: dip the knife in hot water and wipe it between every cut, so the icing stays sharp-edged.
- Total time
- 105 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 20
Ingredients
For the almond paste
For the icing
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Blitz 4 oz candied melon and 1 oz candied orange peel with 1 tbsp orange-blossom water in a food processor for 2 minutes, scraping down, until it forms a smooth, sticky paste.
3 minStep 2: Add 7 oz ground blanched almonds and 4 oz icing sugar and pulse until the mixture clumps together. Pinch some: it should hold its shape and feel like soft marzipan.
Step 3: Tip it into a non-stick pan over a low heat and stir for 4–5 minutes, until it feels slightly drier and comes away cleanly from the pan. Let it cool for 10 minutes.
5 minStep 4: Lay 2 sheets edible wafer paper on a tray, smooth side down. Press the paste on top into an even layer 1 cm thick, using a ruler or palette knife to square the edges. Leave to firm up for 1 hour.
60 minStep 5: For the icing, whisk 1 egg white with 5 ½ oz icing sugar and ½ tsp lemon juice for about 5 minutes, until thick, white and glossy; a ribbon dropped from the whisk should sit on the surface for a few seconds before sinking.
5 minStep 6: Spread the icing over the paste in a very thin layer, about 2 mm. Common mistake: icing that is too thick cracks as it dries, and icing that is too runny slides off the edges; add a spoonful of icing sugar or a few drops of water to get it right.
Step 7: Cut into small pointed ovals with a calisson or navette cutter, or into 2 × 4 cm diamonds with a hot, wiped knife. Trim the wafer paper level with each sweet.
Step 8: Dry on a lined tray in the oven at 200°F (176°F fan) for 10–15 minutes, until the icing is matt and firm to the touch, or leave uncovered overnight. Store in an airtight tin for up to 2 weeks.
15 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 120 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 17 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does calissons d'Aix take?
- About 105 minutes in total: 90 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 20 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of icing sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of icing sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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