Gueffus
Description
During Sardinia’s main festivals and village fairs, you can always find these delightful round sweets known as gueffus, recognizable by their colorful wrapping paper twisted like little candies.
The name of these almond-based sweets is thought to come from the Spanish word “huevos” (eggs), referring to their oval shape.
They’re quite simple to make once you know the secret: use well-dried almonds and avoid over-processing them to preserve their texture and flavor. For best results, grind them by hand, or if you use a food processor, pulse at maximum speed in short bursts.
Ingredients
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- Sweet almonds 300 g
- Bitter almonds 20 g
- Water 100 ml
- Lemon zest 30 g
- Granulated sugar 240 g
- Orange blossom essence 4 g
Instructions
- 1 To prepare gueffus, start by placing both types of almonds in a food processor and grind them at maximum speed until you get a fine flour — being careful not to overheat them. Alternatively, use a hand grinder for the best texture.
- 2 Pour the water and sugar into a thick-bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil. Let it thicken slightly until you see a thin white crust forming on the sides of the pan. Then, add the almond flour and stir.
- 3 Add the orange blossom essence and cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring continuously, until the mixture starts to come away from the sides of the pan.
- 4 Turn off the heat, add the grated lemon zest, and let the mixture cool on a surface moistened with water or lightly greased with almond oil. Once cooled enough to handle, take small portions and shape them into walnut-sized balls, moistening your hands with a bit of water if needed.
- 5 Roll the gueffus in the remaining sugar, then wrap each one like a candy in colorful tissue paper with fringed edges. Arrange them on a serving plate.
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