The onset of summer is always a cause for celebration, and in the Italian region of Abruzzo, celebrations almost always come with confetti. Not of the colorful paper variety you may be imagining, but a much more sugary kind. Since Roman antiquity, Italians have coated sweets in colorful hard-shell candy. Sometimes the center is candied fruits but these days it’s most often almonds. The vibrant colors of the candies hold significance, such as white for weddings and red for graduations. Once colored, the confetti are often arranged to form the petals of a flower, and then bunched together to make a confetti bouquet. Other times, it’s just eaten by the handful out of a bowl. No matter how you decide to do it, or how you’re ringing in the summer’s festivities, confetti is always a great way to go.
1 cup confectioners sugar
Egg whites from 1 large egg
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Food coloring
BLANCH the almonds. Bring a pot of water to a boil, then add the raw almonds and allow to sit for no more than 60 seconds.
DRAIN the almonds and rinse in cold water. Dry with with a paper towel.
PEEL the skin off the almonds and set aside until fully dry.
SPREAD out dried, blanched almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet.
TOAST in the oven for 5 minutes, then remove and set aside.
LINE a separate baking sheet with parchment paper.
BEAT together egg whites, confectioners sugar, cream of tartar and vanilla extract in a medium bowl.
SEPARATE into batches and add food coloring to your preference.
DUNK the almonds into the candy, making sure they are fully covered. Remove and transfer to the lined baking sheet. Allow to cool and harden over night
It explains how to make the coated almond….but, how do you make them into flowers???
My question too!