The calisson is Provence's almond-shaped sweet of ground almonds and candied melon under a thin royal icing, made mostly around Aix-en-Provence and the regional cousin of Avignon's papaline.
The story of Calisson
Calissons are tied to Aix-en-Provence, where most are still made. The name probably comes from the Provençal calissoun, a small chalice. Confections with similar names appear centuries before the Aix sweet: a 12th-century Latin text from Padua and Martino da Canal's Estoires de Venise of about 1275 both mention one, and a Provençal form, calisçon, has been cited from 1503.
How to make Calisson
Serves: Makes about 30
Ingredients
- 200g blanched almonds
- 200g candied melon
- 50g candied orange peel
- 100g icing sugar
- 2 tbsp orange flower water
- 2 sheets of edible wafer paper
- For the icing: 1 egg white and about 150g icing sugar
Method
- Grind the almonds finely with the icing sugar in a food processor.
- Add the candied melon and orange peel and process to a firm, smooth paste; work in the orange flower water.
- Press the paste 1cm thick onto the wafer paper and leave it to dry for 12 hours.
- Beat the egg white with enough icing sugar for a thick, spreadable icing and spread a thin layer over the paste.
- Cut into almond shapes with a small cutter and let the icing dry for 12 hours before storing in a tin.
Editor tip. Candied melon is the flavour that makes it a calisson; if you cannot find it, candied apricot is the closest stand-in.
The editor picks for Calisson in Avignon are still in research. Meanwhile, see the Avignon signature-dishes index or the Avignon food guide.