Bocconotto of Castel Frentano

Bring to a boil (6.34 pt) 3 liters of water with the sugar for the filling. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely and you get a clear, smooth syrup, with no visible crystals on the bottom or sides of the pan.

Add the chocolate, the previously toasted and chopped almonds, and the cinnamon to the syrup. Cook. over low heat, stirring continuously, until the mixture it becomes smooth, full-bodied and dense enough to coat the spoon.

Let it cool the mixture chocolate and almonds, then add the egg yolks. Put the filling back on the heat and cook it briefly, stirring, until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy again; add the ground cinnamon and finish cooking without letting it stick.

For the pasta, whip up a couple of egg whites to stiff peaks: lifting the whisk, the mixture It must keep the tip. In another bowl whip the egg yolks with the sugar until you obtain a light, fluffy and uniform mass, without any perceptible sugar grains.

Combine the beaten egg yolks with the flour, olive oil, sweet liqueur, and grated lemon zest. Mix until smooth, then gently fold in the remaining ingredients. egg whites mounted to stiff peaks, avoiding disassembling them and maintaining a soft and malleable consistency.

Grease the insides of the molds with oil or butter. Spread a thin layer of dough inside each one, making sure it adheres well to the bottom and sides, leaving no gaps; the dough should form a uniform shell, ready to accommodate the filling.

Pour the now cold chocolate and almond filling into the pastry shells, without reaching the edge. Cover each mould with a disk of shortcrust pastry and press it along the perimeter, so as to obtain a tight and well-sealed lid.

Bake at 180°C (356°F) until the surface of the cakes turns a uniform amber color. The shell should be cooked and dry on the outside, while the filling remains firm and creamy on the inside; remove the bocconotti from the oven once they are golden brown.

Let the bocconotti cool completely before removing them from the molds, so that the dough hardens without breaking. Once removed from the molds, cover them with a thick layer of powdered sugar, distributing it evenly over the surface.