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.
Quality almonds (Avola almonds from Sicily are traditional for size and sweetness). The sugar syrup is cooked to specific temperatures for each layer — early layers use a thinner syrup (soft-ball stage, 116°C); later layers use a firmer syrup (hard-crack stage, 150-155°C). The drum or pan must rotate continuously to prevent clumping. Food colouring (for coloured confetti) is added in layers. The final layer may be polished with beeswax or carnauba wax for shine. Traditional Sulmona confetti are arranged into elaborate flowers, bouquets, and decorative shapes by skilled artisans — the confetti flowers are not edible decorations but actual sugared almonds formed into floral shapes.
The correct sugar confetti has a clean snap when bitten — neither waxy nor crumbly. The almond inside should still have its natural crunch. Sulmona confetti flowers require a separate skill: individual confetti are mounted on wire stems with floral tape, grouped into flower shapes. The craft is taught as a distinct discipline. Traditionally, white confetti are given at weddings, blue for baby boys, pink for baby girls, green for engagements, red for graduations, and silver for anniversaries.
Adding syrup in excess — too much syrup at once causes the almonds to clump irreparably. Syrup too hot or too cold — at the wrong temperature, the sugar either doesn't adhere or sets too fast before coating evenly. Not rotating continuously — even a 10-second pause can cause clumping. Rushing the process — the layers must be built slowly; an attempt to compress 30 layers into fewer coarser layers produces uneven coating.
Carol Field, The Italian Baker; Gillian Riley, The Oxford Companion to Italian Food