Healthy and Vegan Maltese Figolli

Healthy Maltese Figolli decorated in colorful icing

These traditional Maltese sweets are delectable pastries with a ground almond filling and coated in chocolate. You'll find these around all Malte close to Easter!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 2

Cook Time 20

Total Time 2 20

Course Dessert

Cuisine Maltese

Servings 5 Figolli

Calories 1378 kcal

Equipment

Food Processor
Mixing Bowl
Rolling Pin

Ingredients

Healthy Pastry Ingredients

325 g Wholemeal Flour or gluten free
250 g Gluten Free Oats ground to a flour consistency
100 g Dates
2 tsp Baking Powder
100 g Soya Yogurt
100 g Applesauce
120 g Olive Oil
100 g Sweetener of choice such as xylitol
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
20 g Agave Syrup

Filling Ingredients

Zest of 1 Lemon
500 g Pure Ground Almonds
80 g Sweetener of choice
100 g Dates
100 g Dried Fruit of choice I used Apricots
20 g Linseeds optional
2 tsp Bitter Almond Extract
20 g Agave Syrup

Topping Ingredients

150 g Stevia Sweetened Dark Chocolate

Instructions

How to make Healthy and Vegan Pastry

Grind dates and oats together, set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together the yogurt, olive oil, applesauce, vanilla, agave, baking powder and sweetener.
Mix in the oats and dates and stir.
Add flour and keep stirring to form a dough ball.
Cover with plastic and place in the freezer for 15 minutes while you prepare your filling.

Prepare the filling

In the bowl of your mixer add in lemon zest, dates, fruits, sweetener, almond extract, almonds, linseeds and agave. Process until all ingredients are very well blended.
Slowly add in water and keep processing until the mixture forms a mushy paste.

Assemble your Figolla

Pre-heat oven to 180⁰C and prepare a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
Using a rolling pin, roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of approximately 1 cm.
Cut out shapes for your Figolli and add marzipan to the inside of the shape, leaving approximately 1cm from the side.
Brush the perimeter of the shape with water and cover with the matching pastry shape.
Bake in the pre-heated oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool.
Melt the dark chocolate in your microwave and coat your Figolli (you can add a teaspoon of coconut oil to your chocolate to make it thinner and easier to coat).
Decorate to your liking. Enjoy your healthy treat!

Video

Notes

In case you're wondering if these can be frozen - the answer is YES! Some have even told me they taste better after defrosting :)

One Figolla can easily be divided into 6 servings. Based on 6 servings per Figolla, you can follow the below nutritional info.
Calories: 230 | Carbohydrates: 22.7g | Protein: 6.8g | Fat: 12g | Fiber: 3.9g