Tuscan Almond Cookies Food

"RICCIARELLI DI SIENA" ITALIAN ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
• In a large bowl, add the room temperature egg whites with the vanilla extract, almond extract, and orange zest.
• Whisk with an electric whisk until you get a foamy consistency. It should not be stiff like meringues but very soft foam.
• Add the sugar and the almond meal and mix with a spoon until you get a paste. If crumbly, knead with your hands until the dough stays compactly together.
• Dust a cutting board with powdered sugar and roll the dough into a thick cylinder, about 2 inches (5 cm) thick, then cut it into 1 inch (2.5 cm) chunks.
• Flatten lightly the discs on the board, then give them an oval shape and coat them well with powdered sugar.
• Set the Ricciarelli on a baking sheet, then lightly wet your fingers with water and wet the surface of each cookie (it should be just slightly wet, not drippy), then dust again with abundant icing sugar to coat them well. Tap lightly with dry fingers to smoothen the sugary surface.
• Bake in the preheated oven for the first 5 minutes at 300°F (150°C), then 5 minutes at 340°F (170°C) and the last 5 minutes at 320°F (160°C). Alternatively, you can bake them only at 320°F (160°C) for 18-20 minutes.
• Gently move the cookies to a cooling rack with a spatula and let them cool completely before serving.

RICCIARELLI - TUSCAN ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites with the lemon juice until stiff peaks form.
• Use a fine sieve to sift the almond flour and powdered sugar into the bowl.
• Add the extracts and gently fold the egg whites into the other ingredients until mixed.
• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, and use your hands to roll the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls.
• Roll each ball into the extra powdered sugar until well coated.
• Shape the balls into an oval, and arrange on the prepared baking sheets with room for spreading between.
• Let the cookies sit at room temperature for at least an hour, or until the exterior of the cookies have dried out and feels firm to the touch.
• While the cookies dry, preheat oven to 300 degrees F., then bake for about 20 minutes.
• Cool completely, then store in an airtight container.

TUSCAN ALMOND COOKIES (RICCIARELLI)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Toast almonds on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden, 5-8 minutes; let cool.
• Pulse almonds, lemon zest, and 1/4 cup powdered sugar in a food processor until finely ground. Whisk egg white and salt in a large bowl to medium peaks. Whisking constantly, gradually add 1/4 cup powdered sugar; whisk until egg white is very stiff but not dry. Fold in almond mixture and vanilla. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of batter onto a parchment-lined baking sheet; using wet hands, flatten tops and press sides to make rounded diamond shapes. Chill 30 minutes.
• Bake ricciarelli until edges are lightly golden and firm and centers are still a little soft, 10-12 minutes; let cool on baking sheet. Dust with powdered sugar.

TUSCAN ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300°F
• Heap the flour in a mound on a pastry board. Make a well in the center and add the eggs, sugar, baking soda and a punch of salt. Knead briefly. Add the almonds and knead again to mix thoroughly.
• Roll the dough into lengths about 1 1/2 inches in diameter (2-inches long). Flatten slightly. Arrange the cookies on a buttered and floured baking sheet.
• Bake in the oven for 7-8 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the oven, cut into diagonal slices about 3/8 - inch thick. Return to the oven to finish cooking until perfectly browned, about 7-10 minutes.

ITALIAN ALMOND COOKIES II

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
• In a large bowl, use your hands to mix together the almond paste, flour, egg whites, white sugar and confectioners' sugar until well blended. The mixture will be very sticky. Place the sliced almonds into a small bowl. Scoop out rounded teaspoonfuls of the dough and drop them into the almonds. Roll until completely coated. Place 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Cool on cookie sheets for a few minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

ITALIAN ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 350°F. Lightly oil 2 large baking sheets, then line with parchment paper.
• In food processor, combine 2 1/4 cups almonds and 1/3 cup sugar. Process until finely ground, scraping down sides once or twice. Set aside.
• In electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat egg whites and salt at high speed until soft peaks form. Reduce speed to medium and gradually sprinkle in remaining 1/3 cup sugar. Return speed to high and beat mixture until stiff, shiny peaks form. Gently fold in ground almond mixture and almond and vanilla extracts.
• Roll mixture into 1-inch balls, place 2 inches apart on baking sheets, and flatten slightly. Top each with glacéed cherry or almond. Bake until cookies are golden, switching positions of pans halfway through, about 25 minutes. Cool on sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.
• Cookies keep, wrapped, several days, or frozen, several weeks. Recrisp in warm oven.

ITALIAN ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• Put half the almonds and half the sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Process to obtain a coarse meal. Repeat with remaining almonds and sugar.
• Put egg whites and almond extract in a medium bowl. Using a wire whisk, beat whites until soft peaks form. Add the almond-sugar mixture to the whites and use a rubber spatula to incorporate the egg whites until you obtain a doughlike consistency.
• Use a spoon or small ice cream scoop to make 24 little blobs weighing about 1/2 ounce/20 grams. Roll each between 2 palms to make smooth spheres, then flatten them slightly. Roll them in a bowl of confectioners' sugar to coat well and place 1 inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Use the end of a wooden spoon to make little round dents in each cookie. Fill dents with whole, unblanched almonds or Amarena cherries, if desired. Alternatively, leave cookies plain with smooth tops. Leave the tray of unbaked cookies at room temperature, uncovered, for 1 hour.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake until lightly browned, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.