Calissons d'Aix Almond Paste Candy Recipe

Name: Traditional Calissons Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 140 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 2 ounces crystallized melon (diced); 1 ounce candied orange peel (diced); 3 tablespoons almond liqueur; 3 tablespoons orange flower water; 2 egg yolks; 4 ounces granulated sugar; 3 ounces ground almonds; 10 ounces heavy cream; Optional: confectioners’ sugar

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 0 mins

Freeze Time: 2 hrs

Total: 2 hrs 20 mins

Servings: 12 servings

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
219	Calories
14g	Fat
20g	Carbs
3g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories	219
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g	18%
Saturated Fat 6g	32%
Cholesterol 74mg	25%
Sodium 20mg	1%
Total Carbohydrate 20g	7%
Dietary Fiber 1g	3%
Total Sugars 18g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 0mg	1%
Calcium 42mg	3%
Iron 0mg	3%
Potassium 91mg	2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

No visit to Aix en Provence would ever be complete without tasting (and falling in love) the unique almond paste candy known as Calissons. They are delicious and hard to find, yet making them is not so difficult, taking the time to make them from scratch is worth the effort, so you can now easily eat them at home.

It is believed the Calisson originally came from medieval Italy but came to France in 1473 on the occasion of the wedding feast of King René's second marriage. However, production of the sweet treat became widespread around the 16th century when almonds started to be grown around the Aix en Provence region and thereby

Cook’s note: This recipe uses raw eggs. Children, elderly people, pregnant women, and anyone with a suppressed immune system are advised to avoid this food.

These delightful candies are also known as Calissons d'Aix.

2 ounces crystallized melon, diced
1 ounce candied orange peel, diced
3 tablespoons almond liqueur
3 tablespoons orange flower water
2 large egg yolks
4 ounces granulated sugar
3 ounces ground almonds
10 ounces heavy cream
Confectioners' sugar, optional

Gather the ingredients.
Soak the melon and orange peel in the almond liqueur and orange flour water, cover and leave them overnight.
The next day, drain and discard the soaking liquid.
Line a tray of oval-shaped candy molds with plastic wrap and set aside.
Cream the egg yolks, granulated sugar, and ground almonds together in a baking bowl.
In a separate bowl, beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form taking care to not overmix.
Gently fold the whipped cream and plumped fruits into the egg mixture.
You should do this as gently as possible to avoid knocing the air from the cream.
Fill candy molds with the nougat batter and freeze for a couple of hours until the candies are firm to the touch.
Carefully remove them from the molds.
Put the confectioners sugar into a small bowl. Roll each nougat shape in the sugar, if desired, before serving.
To store the Calissons, wrap them loosely in a little greaseproof paper and store in an airtight tin. They will not keep for long, and best eaten fresh.

Alternatives for Calissons

To stay true to the origins and nature of the sweet, and retain its authenticity, it is best to not mess with the recipe. The origins of a Calisson in medieval Italy are bound to the ingredients, particularly to the almonds. The candied fruits are also reminiscent of what was then available. Why change something this good, let it be the way it was.