Someone admitted to adoring almond cookies, so here is my recipe for authentic Italian Amaretti which they'll go goo-gaa over.
the recipe has been in my family for ages, and is a winner. I can never make enough!
Not so much a pudding as a treat to be there in the cupboard, ready to be picked at throughout festive periods like Christmas. Or, just piggin' them because they're so delish. Their chewy texture and deep almond aroma are immediate spirit-lifters. Makes 15-20 biscuits.
180g / 6 ½ oz ground almonds
120g / 4 oz caster sugar
Grated zest of a lemon
½ teaspoon natural almond extract
1 pinch salt
2 egg whites
1 tablespoon honey
100g / 3 ½ oz flaked almonds
Icing sugar
Preheat the oven to 160C/325F/gas mark 3.
In a bowl, mix together the ground almonds, caster sugar, lemon zest, almond essence and salt.
Rub everything together with your fingertips to disperse the zest and essence evenly.
Whip the egg whites and honey until firm peaks form.
With a large metal spoon, (never a wooden spoon as it destroys the bubbles in the meringue mix) gently fold the meringue into the almond and sugar mix, to get a soft but malleable paste.
With your hands, roll the paste into 20g / approx1oz rounds. Flatten them a little, roll in a plate of flaked almonds to cover, then roll in plenty of icing sugar.
Put on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and bake for 14-18 minutes - they should turn a very light golden colour. Finally, leave to cool completely before storing in a sealed jar.