Soft Neapolitan Mostaccioli

Method

1. Toast 180 g of almonds over low heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Let cool.
2. Coarsely chop 3 tablespoons of almonds and set aside. Finely grind the remaining almonds.
3. In a saucepan, combine 150 g sugar, 130 g honey, and 120 g apricot jam. Cook over low heat for 3-4 minutes without boiling.
4. Add 40 g unsweetened cocoa, 6 g pisto (Neapolitan spice mix), a pinch of salt, 80 g orange juice, and orange zest. Mix well.
5. In a bowl, sift 500 g all-purpose flour with 8 g baking ammonia. Add the almond mixture and the liquid ingredients. Knead, adding 50 g water, until a smooth dough forms.
6. Lightly flour the work surface, shape the dough, and roll it into a rectangle about 6 mm thick.
7. Cut the mostaccioli using a 7 cm high strip of parchment paper (for rectangles) and a 7 cm rhombus template. Alternatively, use cookie cutters. Also make mini mostaccioli.
8. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in a static preheated oven at 180°C: 12 minutes for large, 9 minutes for mini.
9. Let cool completely.
10. Melt 300 g dark chocolate in a bain-marie. Glaze one side of the mostaccioli. Let dry.
11. Melt another 300 g dark chocolate and glaze the other side.
12. Decorate as desired with chopped pistachios, candied orange peel, and melted white chocolate.