Massepain de Saint Léonard

Small, golden almond biscuits with a soft, almost chewy centre. The Limousin cousin of the famous macaron, light, sweet, fragrant, and lightly crisp on the outside. The batter takes minutes to make and the baking smells extraordinary!

Prep15

Cook15

Total2 30

Servings biscuits

DifficultyMedium

Ingredients

200 gr ground almonds
170 gr caster sugar
3 egg only the whites
icing sugar

Equipment

Instructions

Mix dry ingredients

In a large bowl, combine the almond powder and caster sugar thoroughly, so the sugar is evenly distributed through the almonds.

Add the egg whites

Lightly whisk the egg whites just to loosen them, without beating them to peaks. Add them gradually to the almond and sugar mixture, folding gently, until you have a smooth thick paste that holds its shape. You may not need all of it.

Chill the paste

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight, to firm up and improve the flavour.

Preheat the oven

Heat to 180°C (160°C fan). Line a baking tray with a baking mat.

Shape the biscuits

Transfer the paste to a piping bag fitted with a smooth or fluted nozzle. Pipe batons about 5–6cm long onto the tray, spacing them 2cm apart. Dust generously with icing sugar.

Bake

Bake for about 15 minutes, until golden with a delicate crust but not over-browned. Start checking at 12 minutes, these go from perfect to burnt very quickly.

Cool and serve

Let them cool completely on a rack to set the texture, crisp outside and tender inside, then enjoy with coffee or tea.

Notes

The paste should be smooth and pliable but not runny. If it's too dry to shape, add the remaining egg white a little at a time.
Don't skip the chill. It makes piping much easier and improves the flavour.
Keep the batons a consistent size for even baking.
Watch closely after 12 minutes. The difference between perfect and burnt is a minute.
Cool fully before moving them, or they'll break.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature, where they'll keep for several days.

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