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Bocconotti abruzzesi are small filled shortcrust pastries from Abruzzo: a crumbly butter crust pressed into tartlet molds, filled with ground almonds, dark chocolate and cinnamon, and closed with a thin lid. This recipe makes 12 in 7 cm / 2.75-inch molds.
The almond and chocolate filling is most associated with Castel Frentano, in the province of Chieti. A splash of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo loosens the paste and adds a faint dark-fruit note, so the filling doesn’t taste like plain chocolate.
You press the dough into the molds by hand, so there’s no rolling for the bases and no blind baking. Only the lids get rolled.
Fill each mold to 3 mm below the rim. Go higher and the filling pushes out at the seam and glues the pastry to the mold.
Active time is about 30 minutes. The rest is chilling and cooling, and the finished pastries keep 4 to 5 days.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Pressed-in dough means no rolling for the bases
- Keeps 4 to 5 days in a tin, no fridge needed
- Made from pantry staples: almonds, chocolate, butter, eggs, wine
- Makes 12, enough for a coffee table or a gift box
Ingredient Notes
- almond flour: Use blanched, finely ground almonds for a pale, even filling. Whole almonds ground at home work too, see the FAQ.
- dark chocolate: 70% cocoa keeps the filling from tasting too sweet. Semisweet chocolate also works, and the pastries will be a little sweeter.
- Montepulciano d’Abruzzo: It loosens the filling and adds a dark-fruit note. Strong espresso, rum or milk can replace it at the same 30 ml.
- butter: Use unsalted butter straight from the fridge, cubed. Warm butter makes a greasy pasta frolla that smears instead of crumbling.
Baked Bocconotti Abruzzesi with Almond Chocolate Filling
Ingredients
Method
- Whisk the flour, 100 g sugar, salt and lemon zest in a bowl. Rub in the cold butter with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse sand, about 3 minutes. Add the whole egg and the yolk and mix with a fork, then your hand, until the dough just holds together. Don't knead. Flatten it into a disk, wrap, and chill for 45 minutes.
- While the dough chills, stir the almond flour, 100 g sugar, cinnamon and chopped chocolate together in a second bowl. Add the egg and Montepulciano and mix to a thick paste that holds a mound on a spoon. Cover and leave at room temperature.
- Heat the oven to 180 C / 350 F with a rack in the middle. Brush the 12 tartlet molds (7 cm / 2.75 inch) with soft butter and set them on a sheet pan 33 x 46 cm / 13 x 18 inch. Cut off about three-quarters of the chilled dough and divide it into 12 pieces of about 38 g. Press each into a mold, working it up the sides with your thumb to an even 3 mm.
- Spoon about 2 heaped tablespoons (30 to 33 g) of filling into each shell, stopping 3 mm below the rim. Roll the remaining dough to 3 mm between two sheets of parchment and cut 12 rounds with the 6 cm cutter, rerolling scraps if needed. Lay a round over each filling and press the edge firmly against the crust to seal.
- Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until the lids are pale gold and the edges are golden brown. Cool the bocconotti in their molds on a rack for 20 minutes, then unmold. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.
Notes
- Chill the dough for the full 45 minutes so it presses into the molds without sticking.
- Weigh the dough: about 38 g per base, and the remainder rolled for 12 lids.
- Keep the filling thick enough to hold a mound on a spoon.
- Bake on the middle rack so bottoms and lids color at the same pace.
- Dust with powdered sugar just before serving so it stays white.
Tips for Success
- Weigh each base portion at about 38 g so all 12 pastries bake in the same 22 to 25 minutes.
- Chop the chocolate to pea-size pieces, about 4 mm, so it melts into the filling instead of leaving hard chunks.
- Fill each mold to 3 mm below the rim, because overfilled pastries leak at the seam and stick to the mold.
- Press the dough up the sides with your thumb to an even 3 mm, since thick corners bake pale and doughy.
- Wait the full 20 minutes before unmolding, because the crust is fragile while hot and cracks if you tug it.
Variations
- Swap the Montepulciano for 30 ml strong espresso to give the filling a mocha edge, and keep the cinnamon.
- Replace the almond-chocolate filling with about 180 g thick sour cherry or apricot jam for a jam-filled version.
- Replace 50 g of the almond flour with finely ground toasted hazelnuts for a deeper roasted flavor.
Storage and Reheating
Bocconotti abruzzesi keep 4 to 5 days in an airtight tin at cool room temperature, below 25 C / 77 F. Layer them with parchment and leave off the powdered sugar until serving, since it dissolves into the crust. In a warm kitchen, keep the tin in the fridge and let the pastries come to room temperature before eating.
Freeze baked, undusted bocconotti for up to 2 months, in a single layer first and then in a sealed container. Thaw them at room temperature for 1 hour.
To revive the crust, warm the pastries on a sheet pan at 150 C / 300 F for 5 minutes, then cool them for 5 minutes before dusting with sugar.
Serving Suggestions
Bocconotti abruzzesi are best served at room temperature with espresso, which cuts through the sweetness of the almond filling. A small glass of vin santo suits an after-dinner plate.
For a gift box, line a tin with parchment, set the pastries in a single layer, and dust with sugar only when the box is opened. Two per person is a fair portion at the end of a meal, with orange or fig slices alongside.
FAQ
Why is the filling leaking out of my bocconotti?
Bocconotti leak when the filling comes within 3 mm of the rim or the lid isn’t pressed to the crust. Fill to 3 mm below the rim, about 2 heaped tablespoons, and press the lid edge firmly against the base. A loose, runny filling also leaks, so it should hold a mound on a spoon.
Can I use whole almonds instead of almond flour in bocconotti filling?
Yes, grind 150 g blanched whole almonds in a food processor with 2 tbsp of the sugar until fine and sandy. The sugar stops the almonds from turning to paste, so pulse in short bursts. Skin-on almonds work too, but the filling turns darker and slightly coarser.
What is the difference between bocconotti abruzzesi and pasticciotti?
Pasticciotti come from Salento in Puglia and hold pastry cream in an oval shortcrust that’s often made with lard. Bocconotti abruzzesi are round and hold an almond and chocolate filling, though some local versions use jam. Both are closed with a shortcrust lid.
Can I freeze bocconotti, and should I freeze them baked or unbaked?
Freeze them baked and undusted for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for 1 hour, then warm at 150 C / 300 F for 5 minutes to crisp the crust. Raw filled pastries need extra bake time from frozen and are harder to time evenly.
What do you drink with bocconotti abruzzesi?
Espresso is the usual pairing, since the bitter coffee balances the sweet almond filling. A small glass of vin santo works well after dinner, and a light pour (about 100 ml) of the same Montepulciano used in the filling echoes its dark-fruit note.
Are bocconotti abruzzesi gluten free?
No, the shortcrust uses 300 g all-purpose flour, so they contain gluten. The almond filling is naturally gluten free, so only the crust needs changing. A gluten-free all-purpose blend containing xanthan gum can work, but the crust will be more fragile to unmold.