As Easter approaches, many Maltese households start filling their cupboards with figolli-making essentials. Once we check off the almond flour and eggs, we start looking for high quality cooking chocolate with which to decorate these Easter delicacies. Along with a range of delicious chocolates and chocolate bars, Novi makes Novibloc. Novibloc is the perfect finishing touch to all your desserts and sweet bakes during the Easter period and at any time of the year. Let’s take a look at the journey Novi chocolate takes from the cocoa plantations of Ecuador to your dessert fork.
In Search of the Best Cocoa
Origin and transportation
A great finished product requires great raw materials. Novi starts by selecting the best cocoa beans. They use the traditional Arriba Nacional from Ecuador, one of the finest cocoa varieties. Specifically, the beans come from the regions of Esmeraldas, Manabi and Los Rios. Once the cocoa pods are ripe, they are hand harvested and taken to collection points. Here the pulp and seeds are separated from the shells. They are then left to rest and ferment for 3-4 days. The cocoa beans are then dried. This process can take up to 15 days. After drying, the beans are checked, selected and stored.
Quality assurance and processing
Novi receive shipment of these cocoa beans 3-4 times a week at their warehouse in Genoa. The Novi Ligure Quality Laboratory checks every shipment to ensure that the beans are of top quality. The cocoa paste that results at the end of the processes is then tasted by the quality team and given the final seal of approval.
Novi then cleans and sterilises the beans and roasts them at a low temperature. This is done in order to preserve the flavour and quality of the bean. The final stage of processing is conching. This helps develop the characteristic taste, smell and texture of the chocolate. This process is carried out differently according to the type of chocolate being processed, ensuring the best possible taste and texture.
The secret to our success lies in our products: all of them are made with extremely high-quality raw material
Flavio Repetto, Chairman & President of Elah Dufour
Putting Novi Chocolate to The Test
Now that you know all about how Novi sources its chocolate, let’s put it to the test. Here we have a traditional figolli recipe that is sure to please and a recipe for frigolli, an interesting twist on a traditional favourite for the perfect Easter treat.
Traditional Figolli
Ingredients:
- 400g self-raising flour
- 200g sugar
- 200g Stork margarine
- 2 Le Naturelle Eggs
- Vanilla essence
- Juice and zest of 1/2 a lemon
For the filling:
- 200g pure ground almonds
- 100g sugar
- Almond essence
- Some water
For the Decorations:
- 200g Novi milk chocolate
- Mini Novi chocolate eggs
- Coloured sprinkles
Method:
- Rub the margarine into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Add in the sugar and mix until well combined.
- Zest the lemon.
- lightly beat the eggs and add them gradually. Add the vanilla essence, the lemon juice and lemon zest.
- Keep mixing well until it forms a dough. This should take about 10 minutes. Chill for at least an hour.
- For the filling, mix the ground almonds, almond essence and some water until a dough forms.
- Roll out the pastry 3cm thick. Cut identical shapes from the dough using a large biscuit cutter.
- Place the almond filling on one of the biscuit shapes and place another shape on top. Brush the ends with egg wash.
- In a preheated oven, bake the figolla for 20-22mins at 180°C.
- Once cooled, melt the chocolate over a doouble boiler on in the microwave and coat the figolla in chocolate.
- Decorate with coloured sprinkles and mini Novi chocolate eggs.
Original recipe by Gwen’s Cooking Club.
Frigolli
Ingredients:
- 2 tsp Instant Dry Yeast
- 160ml Warm Milk (not more than 40°c)
- 70g Caster Sugar
- 3 Eggs (room temperature)
- 115g Unsalted Butter (room temperature)
- 550g All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Salt
- Zest of 1 Lemon (grated)
- 1ltr Vegetable Oil for Frying
For the Filling:
- 250ml Fresh Cream
- 100g Caster Sugar
- 1/4tsp Vanilla Essence
- Zest of 1 Lemon (grated)
- Zest of 1 Orange (grated)
- 200g Pure Ground Almond
For the Shell:
- 500g Novi Dark Chocolate
- 750g Roasted Crushed Almonds
Method:
- To form the dough, place the yeast and milk in a bowl and let the mixture rest for about 10 minutes in order to form a froth. When you see bubbles forming you can proceed.
- Add the remaining ingredients and form them into a dough using your hands or a mixer. If the mixture is still too runny or dry, adjust by adding some milk or flour accordingly.
- Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it becomes soft and silky.
- Spread some vegetable oil in a bowl to avoid sticking and place the dough inside. Cover tightly with cling film.
- Ideally place the dough in the fridge for at least 8 hours or overnight until it doubles in size and firms up. If you want to use it immediately, let it rise in a warm place for about an hour or until it doubles in size. Chill it for at least an hour before using it, otherwise it will be too soft.
- Quarter the dough. Use some flour to roll it out to a thickness of about half an inch.
- Using a small biscuit cutter, punch out little buttons and place them on parchment paper.
- Cover them with a kitchen towel and let them rest for at least 10 minutes. Do not exceed 15 minutes or else they will puff up too much.
- In the meantime preheat the vegetable oil for deep frying. The temperature should be between 170°c and 175°c.
- Fry the dough buttons until they puff up and rise to the surface. they should become spherical and golden brown. This should take around 3 minutes. Make sure to fry all sides. Fry the dough in small batches.
- Place them on a paper towel and let them cool off completely before filling.
- In the meantime prepare the filling. Place chilled fresh cream in a bowl and whisk until it firms up. While whisking add the sugar gradually.
- When it’s nice and firm add the vanilla essence and the orange and lemon zest.
- Then, gently fold the ground almonds in small batches until you get a thick and airy cream. Chill for at least 30 minutes, then place the cream in a piping bag.
- Gently pipe some filling into each ball. Be careful to not overfill.
- Now melt 2/3 of the chocolate. Leave some for a second coating.
- Using a skewer dip each ball in the chocolate, let the excess drip off, then place the chocolate covered balls in a small bowl with the roasted crushed almond.
- Coat entirely with almonds and place them on a wire rack to dry. Continue with the rest. You can place them in the fridge to speed up the process.
- To do the final chocolate coat, melt the rest of the chocolate and put half a teaspoon of chocolate on the palm of your hand. Then gently rub each ball between your hands. Place them back on the wire rack and refrigerate.
- Since we are using fresh cream store these Frigolli in the fridge.
Original recipe by Ch-EAT.
