Panellets

Panellets is Catalan for little breads. They are a traditional dessert made specially for a holiday but is popular through out. The recipe varies in many parts of Spain. Made mainly with marzipan together with chestnuts or sweet potatoes. Panellets are often accompanied with sweet wine, usually chilled moscatell. These are small cookies with different shapes mostly round covered with pine nuts and glazed with egg wash. Panellets date back at least to the 18th century and until then a variety of shapes and garnishing were tried.I made some with macademia and cashew for you.

I am sure you'll like these too. Panellets with slivered almonds, coconut flakes, macademia, quince paste and cashew. Here's how to make them.

Knead to a soft dough 2 cups of almond meal, 1 cup mashed white sweet potatoes, 3/4 cups sugar and half of the egg white of a small size egg. You don't want the dough too soft to shape into balls.

Roll the chestnut size balls on a bed of pine nuts to cover completely and brush with egg wash. Bake in 350 F oven for at least 12 to 15 minutes. Watch them for the could burn easily.

In my oven, this how they look like after 15 minutes. Make some other fun shapes and garnishing if you have any marzipan paste left. Enjoy!