Gueffus

Name: Gueffus
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Sarda
Ingredients: 300 g blanched almonds; 200 g granulated sugar; 80 ml Water; 1 whole unwaxed lemon; 2 tbsp orange blossom water; 1 tbsp maraschino liqueur; 50 g caster sugar

Gueffus, also written gueffos, are traditional Sardinian almond paste sweets scented with citrus and orange blossom water, rolled in sugar and wrapped in fringed paper.

🇮🇹Italy· Sardinia

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 10 min
Total: 35 min
Servings: 8
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 190 kcal

Ingredients

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Servings

300 g blanched almonds — very finely ground into almond meal
200 g granulated sugar — for the syrup
80 ml Water — cold water
1 whole unwaxed lemon — finely grated zest only
2 tbsp orange blossom water — natural food-grade essence
1 tbsp maraschino liqueur — or Sardinian filu 'e ferru acquavite
50 g caster sugar — for rolling and coating

Equipment

•Heavy-based saucepan
•Wooden spoon
•Baking parchment
•Fine grater
•Fringed tissue paper wrappers

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 190 kcal
fat: 10 g
carbs: 22 g
fibre: 2 g
protein: 5 g
calories: 190 kcal

Instructions

1
Combine the granulated sugar and water in a wide, heavy-based saucepan.
2
Heat gently over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves completely into clear syrup.
3
Stir in the finely grated lemon zest, orange blossom water, and Maraschino.
4
Add the ground almonds all at once to the warm syrup.
5
Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the paste pulls away cleanly from the pan.
6
Turn the warm almond paste onto baking parchment and leave until warm to the touch.
7
Shape teaspoonfuls of paste into smooth, walnut-sized balls with lightly dampened hands.
8
Roll each almond ball thoroughly in caster sugar to form a sparkling crust.
9
Place each sweet into the centre of fringed tissue paper and twist the ends securely.

Chef's tips

Do not overcook the paste or the almond oils will separate and make the mixture greasy. If the dough feels sticky while rolling, moisten your fingertips with a little orange blossom water. Let the sweets cool completely before sealing them in tins.

Ingredient substitutions

Maraschino liqueur → anise liqueur or additional orange blossom water for an alcohol-free version
orange blossom water → pure orange extract mixed with a splash of water, though the floral note will be milder

Storage

Store the wrapped sweets in an airtight tin in a cool, dry place for up to three weeks.

Reheating

Serve at room temperature; do not reheat.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Boiling the sugar syrup too long before adding almonds, which makes the sweets hard and brittle.
•Rolling the paste into sugar while piping hot, causing the sugar coating to melt into liquid.
•Omission of lemon zest, which is essential to cut through the rich sweetness of the almonds.

Serving suggestions

Arrange on a traditional ceramic platter alongside a small glass of chilled Mirto liqueur.Serve after a festive Sardinian meal alongside espresso and sweet Malvasia di Bosa wine.