It's the dessert par excellence for feast days in Italy – that children love to steal from under the table (so mom and dad don’t see!). But children aren’t the only ones who can’t seem to stop themselves from eating more croccante. That’s no problem, though. Making croccante at home – even on gloomy, grey afternoons – is a moment meant to be enjoyed.
Anyway, homemade croccante tastes even better. Because you can choose to either make it the classic way (with almonds) or you can make it with a mix of nuts (e.g. walnuts, hazelnuts and pistachios). Oh, and you could always cover it with sesame seeds. Why not?
The Recipe: Il Croccante
Ingredients:
1 lb almonds
7 oz sugar
4 oz honey
Blanch the almonds in boiling water for two minutes. Drain them and let them cool on a baking tray covered with baking parchment. As soon as they have cooled, remove skins and dry them. Bake for 10 minutes at 350°F (180°C) to toast them. Let cool. Slice each almond in half lengthwise or chop them coarsely in a blender depending on the consistency you want. It’s important not to ground them too much, however.
Next, add the sugar and honey to a saucepan with a fairly thick bottom and let it melt, stirring continuously. If you do not have honey, you can replace it with more sugar. Use a thermometer and check that the temperature of the mixture does not exceed 350°F. Add the almonds and stir. Spread the croccante onto a marble slab moistened with water or a drizzle of oil, and level with a spatula at a thickness of 1 cm.
Wait for it to cool for a few minutes and then slice it as you prefer. Let it rest to set properly and enjoy!