Confetti di Sulmona — Jordan Almonds and Sugar Art

Sulmona, L'Aquila province, Abruzzo. The production of confetti in Sulmona is documented from the 14th century — the city's position on the trade routes through the Abruzzo mountains made it a center of confectionery production, and the tradition has continued unbroken. There are still over 30 confetti producers in Sulmona.

Sulmona, in the province of L'Aquila, has been Italy's confetti capital since the 14th century — the word 'confetti' (sugar-coated almonds) derives from the Latin 'confectum' (prepared, made), and the production methods here have changed little in five centuries. Sulmona confetti are made by coating whole almonds in layers of cooked sugar syrup applied in a rotating drum (the bassina), building up layer upon layer of sugar until the almond is encased in a smooth, hard shell. The artisanal version uses the hot-pan method (confettatura a mano) — the confettiere stirs the almonds over gentle heat, adding spoonfuls of warm sugar syrup in small doses, rotating continuously, building up to 30+ layers over several hours.

A perfect Sulmona confetto has the clean snap of hard sugar, followed by the resistance of the almond, followed by the release of the nut's oil and sweetness. The sugar coating is pure — not flavoured, not perfumed — so that the quality of the almond determines the quality of the confetto. The best are made with Avola almonds and are simply exquisite.