aranzata

Orange biscuits

ingredients

Serves 6
350g of dried orange peel
350g of honey
300g of sweet almonds (without shells)

method

This is a fantastic way to use orange peel instead of throwing it away. Remove and discard the white pith from the orange peel and leave to dry out. Once the peel is completely dried you need to soak it in cold water for 24 hours, changing the water after 12 hours. Now take your soaked peel and place it in a mortar and crush it into a pulp, separate the pulp from any liquid and save both.

Toast the almonds in the oven for about 10 minutes, remove the skins and then chop them finely until they turn to flour (you may want to pulse them in a mixer).

Pour the honey and the liquid from the crushed orange peel in a saucepan and melt together over a very low heat adding the crushed orange peel pulp and then the almond ‘flour’. Mix together carefully. When the mixture begins to form a mass remove from the heat and remove any mixture from the edge of the saucepan so that the mix is all piled in the middle of the pan (this will ensure your Aranzata have an even consistency). Allow the mixture to cool slightly but not set.

When the mixture has cooled take a little bit between your fingers and roll into a small cigar, about the thickness of a finger and about 6-7cm long. Place the ‘cigars’ on some greaseproof paper and allow to cool completely.
These Aranzata will keep well in a sealed jar or container.