WATCH: The Inspirational Story of Gwen's Cooking Adventure
Few things make me happier than finding a young person who knows they don’t have to wait to follow their dreams. Starting at the age of 8 a young and tenacious Gwen started her own online cooking club during Covid lockdown. That first year, Gwen made Figolli at the Easter Holiday to raise money for Puttinu Cares which donates money to children and adult cancer funding.
Fast forward to the year 2024 and young Gwen, now 11, has a weekly television spot on local tv, two published cookbooks, a large media platform and continues with her cooking club lessons. This year Gwen, with the help of her family, is at over 800 Figolli’s made for Puttinu Cares and counting. She has already stopped taking new orders with a hefty wait list still in tow and the order requests continue to come in! Her family had to order a second oven to keep up with the demand!
What makes this young woman so special? Well, after meeting her and watching her make her famous Figolli, I can tell you at least a little something more. Gwen is a powerhouse. She has built something spectacular for herself and she’s only getting started. Her passion for cooking has never wavered and she dreams of being on tv with her own programme one day (I have no doubt she will be the one to watch).
She is incredibly kind and warm hearted. She makes you feel very welcome in her home. She works hard and stays hyper focused as she kneads the dough and rolls it out and prepares the Figolli with each step. She is meticulous with each step of her process from start to finish. Above all, as she shares that the secret ingredient to any great dish is always love. It’s where everything starts and ends in her kitchen. I left our time together being a big fan of Gwen.
While I can’t share the recipe with you (because I don’t know it), Gwen holds this recipe close to her heart. It is not listed in either of her cookbooks as this one is sacred. What I can tell you is that her Figolli has a thin crust on both sides and a generous filling with an almond paste from real crushed almonds that spans to all sides of this treat. She also tops it the same way with each Figolli, drizzled in chocolate and covered with sprinkles.
Figolli
The traditional Maltese specialty treat Figolla are only offered during the Easter holiday. This is usually a post Lent treat offered to children especially. They usually come in the shapes of butterflies, Easter eggs or rabbits. While recipes may vary, they are not far from each other in that there is a crumbly pastry crust with an almond paste filling and iced to the chef’s preference and signature. You will find these treats all over the island from now through Easter. You will notice some fancy figolli and you will find some homemade goodness that is more for the taste and flavour rather than for a specific aesthetic. This is a must have if you are traveling through Malta during this time of year.
You can find Gwen here.
To order a book send her a message and her mother will respond shortly.
