Panellets, Catalan All Saint's Eve dessert

All Saint's in Catalonia is a festivity that is far from the scary anglo-saxon Halloween (even if unfortunately globalisation is spreading Halloween parties over hear as well... people wants to do what they see in the movies!)

All Saints is a time to be with the family, if possible by the fire and telling stories, visit your death ones in the cemetery, and eating chestnuts, sweet potatoes and... panellets!

Although you can buy them in all pastry shops and supermarkets these days, it's fun to cook them at home.

PANELLETS RECIPE, as explained by the E&A Gispert Nut Roasters since 1851.

FOR THE BASIC PASTE you'll need (around 40 units):
- 250gr (8.8 ounces) of sugar
- 500 (17.6 ounces) of sliced almond
- 3 eggs.
NOTE: some recepies add also one boiled big potatoe, but I prefer to trust the experts, so here we won't use it.

FOR SPECIAL PANELLETS you can use:
- either 150gr (5.2 ounces) of pine nuts
- or 150gr (5.2 ounces) of sliced or miced almond
- or 1 bag of candied cherries
- or 1 bag of grated coconut
- or 1 pack of candy quince
- or 1 lemon
- or some ground coffee
- or some cacao powder

TO DO THE BASIC PASTE mix the sugar and the almonds with the eggs and work it until it becomes a thin paste. Let it rest for 24h (or if you don't have that much time, keep working on the paste longer, and do not let it go too soft). If the paste gets too dry, you can add a little bit of water or another egg.
Now make little balls (the size of golf balls), and you have your basic panellets ready to decorate!

TO DO SPECIAL PANELLETS SPECIALTIES YOU CAN:
- Dip the panellets in egg white, then roll them over a surface full of pine nuts until the balls are completely covered by the nuts (it's easier if your hands are wet). To finish, paint the panellets with egg yolk. They are the most popular ones.
- For the almond panellets, same thing but here the panellets won't have a ball shape but a half-moon shape (croissant like), to follow the tradition.
- For the cherry ones, make a ball and stick half a candy cherry on the top.
- For the coconut panellets, you'll have to mix the basic paste with as much coconut. Make either balls or pyramids.
- For the quince ones, slice the quince in small pieces, and stick a piece on the top of each panellet. They can be balls or long shaped.
- For the lemon ones, mix the basic paste with the skin of the lemon and some drops of its juice. Make balls and cover them with sugar or whisked eggs.
- For the coffee or chocolate panellets: mix the basic paste with the coffee or the cacao and make balls.

More ideas to stimulate your creativity: use marmelade, orange, other type of nuts... And try other shapes: mushroom-like, triangles...

TO FINISH OUR PANELLETS, bake them in the oven at a quite hot temperature for 10 minutes. Panellets dry as they cool down. They taste better one or two days after they have been baked.

Serve as desert with some sweet wine (moscatel wine is highly reccomended!)