Pasticcini

The Italian pasticcini - the French petit four - are fine, small pastries with different fillings, textures and fragrances. A sort of miniature cake. We usually buy them in the pasticcerie (pastry shops)  to celebrate domestic festivities, sharing the variety of sweet flavours. Children like pasticcini. In just one bite, they can taste a chocolate eclair, a fine fruit pastry and a chestnut Mont Blanc.

I missed pasticcini when I moved to London, as it is hard to find them there. Cup cakes are not the same thing.
However, when I feel like having pasticcini, I make them at home. I prepare my shortcrust pastry,  I cut it into circles, which I place in a mini-muffin tin. Finally, I fill them with two different jams, not to forget the variety of flavours.

Pasticcini are extremely versatile. I serve them in the afternoon with tea, in the evening along with ice cream and I often give them to friends, when I am invited for dinner.

Pasticcini

For the dough
60 g ground almonds
65 g white flour 

1 yolk 

50 g icing sugar
For the filling and decoration

80 g apricot jam
80 g raspberry jam
1 teaspoon icing sugar

For 24 pasticcini
Preparation time: 30 minutes plus 40 minutes in the fridge
Cooking time: 10 minutes

1. In a bowl, mix the almonds with the flour. Place in a mixer, add the butter and pulse. Add the yolk and the sugar and quickly pulse into compact dough.
2. Wrap the dough in cling film and leave in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
3. On a floured surface, roll out the dough and cut into circles with a 5 cm cookie cutter.
4. Arrange the circles in a mini-muffin tin and place the tin in the freezer for 10 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
6. Remove the tin from the freezer and fill the pastry bases with the jams. Bake for 10 minutes.
7. Leave to cool for 20 minutes in the tin before removing them, with the help of a small knife.
8. Sprinkle with icing sugar, if you like. Arrange in a serving dish and serve.