In her book about Bosnian Sephardic Jewish women, Sarajevo-born writer Laura Papo Bohoreta (1891 – 1942) mentioned some Jewish sisters from the Alkalaj family who set up a shop in the city selling traditional Jewish specialities, including a number of sweets. It’s likely this included the star-shaped almond čalditjas, a type of macaroon (here based on a recipe by Nada Papo).
How to Make Them
Ingredients
225g ground almonds
200g caster sugar
3 medium egg whites
A pinch of lemon peel, finely grated
- Mix the dry almonds and sugar together in a mixing bowl
- Separately, beat the egg whites with an electric whisk until just starting to froth
- Add the egg whites to the almonds and sugar, one spoonful at a time. Mix with a wooden spoon until you get a soft and moist mixture. (You might not need all the egg white)
- Take a ball of the mixture and flatten it onto a parchment-covered baking sheet. Moistening your fingers with a little water if needed.
- Either cut into a star shape or form it with your fingers
- Leave to sit for 15 minutes before baking at 170C fan for 15 – 20 minutes.
- Leave to cool for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack
James Rayner 