Calissons Recipe with Candied Melon – Traditional Provençal Sweet

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? Calissons with Candied Melon – Traditional Provençal Recipe

Origins of calissons ??

Calissons are one of the most iconic sweet specialties of Provence, traditionally associated with Aix-en-Provence.
These elegant diamond-shaped confections are made from a soft paste of candied melon, ground almonds, and sugar, topped with a thin layer of white icing. Delicate, fragrant and refined, calissons have been enjoyed for centuries as a symbol of Provençal confectionery ☀️.

? Homemade Calissons Recipe

? Ingredients (makes about 20–25 calissons)

200 g candied melon ?
100 g ground almonds
100 g icing sugar
1 egg white
1 sheet of edible wafer paper (rice paper / host wafer)

For the royal icing:

1 egg white
150 g icing sugar
A few drops of lemon juice ?

?‍? Preparation

Prepare the base
Finely blend the candied melon until you obtain a smooth paste.
Add the ground almonds and icing sugar, then mix until well combined.
Bind the mixture
Gently incorporate the egg white until the paste becomes smooth, supple and not sticky.
Shape the calissons
Roll out the paste to about 1 cm thickness.
Place it on the wafer paper and cut calisson shapes using a calisson cutter or knife ?.
Make the icing
Mix the egg white, icing sugar and lemon juice until you obtain a thick, glossy icing ✨.
Ice the calissons
Spread a thin layer of icing over each calisson using a small spatula or brush.
Drying
Leave to dry at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours, until the icing is firm, smooth and white.

?‍? Chef’s Tip ✨

For a smoother texture and more balanced flavour, let the almond–melon paste rest for 30 minutes before adding the egg white.
When icing, keep the layer very thin: the glaze should gently coat the surface without running over the sides.