HAPPY VALENTINE DAY'S
Kittens, I'm on cloud nine, just back from New York, with my boyfriend, yes I know it's crazy, 4 days of delirium, 4 days of intense fashion week, crazy backstage encounters and incredible images! But I'll get back to you very soon... I had originally planned this recipe for a special rhombus week... (not a bad idea...) But in fact I think the colors are appropriate, and two calissons side by side are a bit like a heart... I'm definitely in a cheesy mood... Of course, I can already hear you lecturing me that Valentine's Day is a commercial holiday and all that, but I like to tell my loved ones that I love them and I wanted to mark the occasion... After the avalanche of love I received for my last 3 posts! I wish you as much love as it's possible to receive and you have no idea how much your words touch me! I'll be back to you very soon with a whole host of answers to many of your questions, some of which had me howling with laughter... Thanks again... and now for the recipe for calissons de l'amour!
You'll need about twenty calissons:
- 150g almond powder,
- 100g powdered sugar,
- 100g dried apricots,
- 50g candied ginger,
- 75g candied melon,
- 2 tsp orange blossom,
- 2 tsp apricot jam
- and a sheet of unleavened paper.
To make the dough, start with your super-sharp blender, otherwise it's going to get really complicated... During your intensive search for the killer blender, mix the almond powder and powdered sugar on your oven's rimmed baking sheet and leave to dry for 30 minutes at 120°C at half-height. Meanwhile, cut the candied fruit into small pieces. Then place in your blender with the jam and blend at full speed! You'll end up with a very fine, super-sticky fruit paste, at which point add the orange blossom. Once the mixture has dried and cooled, add it to the blender and blend for about 1 minute. You'll get a very homogeneous paste that detaches itself from the sides of the blender.
Place your unleavened baking paper on a dry, straight surface, with the squared side down, and place your ball of dough on the paper, flattening it evenly into a 0.5 cm layer, and leave to cool for about an hour. Once this time has elapsed, cut out the calissons using a pastry cutter or small knife. To make the glaze, gently mix 35g egg white with 160g powdered sugar. For the coloring, you're free to add your own... and to glaze the calissons, simply coat the top with a butter knife and smooth the sides with your finger. Leave the glaze to set for 1 hour in a dry place and enjoy! Happy Valentine's Day!
