Frutta Martorana
Frutta Martorana
Almond Paste Fruits
Treats made from almond paste is perhaps the most crowded of all genres of sweets in the Italian islands, largely owing to three factors. First, the ninth-century Arab conquest of Italy’s islands introduced almonds and sugar and the custom of combining them, and that enthusiasm never wore off. Second, almond paste is malleable and shelf-stable, so it can be shaped creatively and admired for a long time. Third, islanders love intensely sugary sweets, and traditional almond paste is cloyingly so (but scaling it back will affect the texture of the final product so don’t even think about it). One of the most adorable incarnations of this ubiquitous dough is frutta martorana, almond paste shaped and painted to resemble fruits. Legend has it that the nuns at a Benedictine convent in Palermo founded by Eloisa and Goffredo Martorana invented this clever way to prepare almond paste to impress bishops and kings. Later, they made a good living selling the marzipan fruits for All Souls’ Day, when they would display their wares by hanging the sweets from tree boughs as if they were real fruits. If you’re lucky enough to visit Palermo, stop by I Segreti del Chiostro, a pastry shop in the Monastero di Santa Caterina. Then pop by Luigi Guidera’s shop nearby at Via Calderai, 57, to buy molds. They are one-sided; if you prefer to make whole fruits, you can shape them by hand (about 3 ounces of paste per whole piece is a good quantity to shoot for).
Ingredients (9)
Ingredients (9)
Instructions
Combine the water and glucose in a medium pan, then add the sugar.
Heat to 170°F over medium-high heat, stirring continuously. Turn off the heat.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, carefully combine the almond flour and hot sugar syrup.
Mix on medium speed until the dough comes together, about 5 minutes,
then add 2 cups of confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and almond extract. Mix until incorporated,
then add the remaining cup of confectioners’ sugar and mix for 20 minutes more.
Add water 1 tablespoon at a time as needed if the dough is too stiff and stresses your mixer’s motor.
Turn the almond paste out onto a clean work surface and roll it into a tight log. Set aside, loosely covered in plastic, for 30 minutes.
Unwarp the almond paste. Using your hands, pull off about 1½ ounces and knead it into a smooth, compact ball. Press it into a plastic wrap–lined mold, or shape it by hand into the fruit of your choice.
Once the fruit is shaped, remove it from the mold (if you used one) and set it aside on a piece of parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining almond paste.
Set aside to dry, uncovered, overnight.
Using a paintbrush and food coloring, paint the fruit with the colors of your choice. Add the powdered food coloring to small bowls with vodka to create your paint. Of course you can feel free to get creative here.
Set the frutta martorana aside to dry, uncovered, overnight.
They will keep in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
This recipe is part of the Food of the Italian Islands digital cookbook, and is only available once you've purchased the cookbook.
Purchase ($25.00)
