Amaretti recipe

Makes about 100 biscuits

Working time: about 30 minutes

Total time:

about 9 hours (includes standing time)

Nutritional information

Per biscuit:

Calories 20

Protein 0g

Cholesterol Omg

Total fat 1g 

Saturated fat 0g

Sodium 9mg

Ingredients

250 g almond paste

2 tsp pure almond extract

200 g caster sugar

4 egg whites

⅛ salt

icing sugar

Method

Mix together the almond paste, almond extract and 135 g (41 oz) of the sugar in a bowl. Beating continuously, gradually add about half of the egg whites. Continue beating until the mixture has lightened in texture and color - about 3 minutes.

To prepare the meringue, beat the remaining egg whites in a bowl until they are foamy. Add the salt, then continue beating the whites until they form soft peaks. Gradually add the remaining sugar, beating all the while, until the whites form stiff peaks

Fold one third of the meringue into the almond mixture to lighten it, then fold in the remaining meringue. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle. Line two baking sheets with non-stick parchment paper and pipe out the mixture in mounds about 2.5 cm (1 inch) across.

Sprinkle the mounds generously with icing sugar and let them stand at room temperature for at least 8 hours.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F or Mark 4) To allow the amaretti to puff during baking, pinch a mound at its base, cracking the surface Pinch the mound once more to crack its surface a second time at a right angle to the first. Repeat the process to crack all the amaretti.

Bake the amaretti, with the oven door propped slightly ajar with the handle of a wooden spoon. for 30 minutes. Remove the biscuits from the oven and let them stand, still on the paper, until they have cooled to room temperature. Remove the amaretti from the parchment paper, and store them in an airtight container until serving time