The making of a Catalan classic: Panellets for the people

Panellets are bite-sized balls of marzipan that can be covered with sliced pine nuts or diced almonds before they are popped in the oven.

Similar to the Day of the Dead in Mexico, these little delicacies are usually cooked in tribute to lost loved ones, when families visit cemeteries on All Saints’ Day (1 November).  

It has also become a Catalonian tradition for marking the change of season, by enjoying the food and wines that are in harvest.

This includes eating castanyes (hot roasted chestnuts), drinking muscadel (a sweet dessert wine) and foraging mushrooms in the woods.

Making panellets is seen as a family tradition - something you do with your mother or father at home then passing on the knowledge to your children someday.

To look at, these small, button-sized nibbles appear an easy thing to make. However, to find out for real, I attended La Patente cooking school in Barcelona to learn from a professional, Mayera Armas.

In a visit organised by Barcelona-based airline Vueling to promote Catalan culture, Armas took a group of journalists through their paces in the kitchen.  

As someone who struggles to boil an egg at the best of times, I decided to bring a secret weapon: My son Jack Keeley. He's a keen cook who has made panellets before, so knew what he was doing.

He also saved my blushes, especially among some stiff competition from colleagues from France and Italy.

To start off, you mix water and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil for about five minutes, so it becomes a sweet syrup.

Then you add almond powder in a bowl and mix well.

After this, you must add egg whites and yolks from separate bowls.

Next comes the most important part: kneading the mix - but it cannot be too dry. If you find that it is, just add more egg