Which came first, the liquor or the cookies? I have the final answer: amaretti came first, their roots go back to the XIII century, while the liquor, Amaretto di Saronno, was invented a century later. Nevertheless, they rise from a common denominator: Almonds.
This is one of the easiest recipes EVER and yet, it took me four attempts before being completely satisfied. Amaretti are supposed to be crunchy and slightly chewy in the middle, not soft at all. This has been one of the biggest challenges so far, I am not lying. Don’t worry though, I tried so many variations so that you surely will get the perfect amaretti if you try this. Yes, they are perfect dipped in the Amaretto di Saronno liquor too!
“When an almond tree became covered with blossoms in the heart of winter, all the trees around it began to jeer. ‘What vanity,’ they screamed, ‘what insolence! Just think, it believes it can bring spring in this way!’ The flowers of the almond tree blushed for shame. ‘Forgive me, my sisters,’ said the tree. ‘I swear I did not want to blossom, but suddenly I felt a warm springtime breeze in my heart.”
Nikos Kazantzakis
Amaretti Biscuits to Perfection
Equipment
- Electric Food Chopper (optional)
- Bowl
- baking tray
Ingredients
- 200 gr Ground Almonds or Almond Flour
- 100 gr Brown Sugar
- 120 gr Icing Sugar
- 2 Egg Whites (about 80 gr)
- 4 gr Baking Powder
Instructions
- Mix together the ground almonds and the sugars with the electric blender for a couple of minutes, until homogeneous.
- In a bowl, mix together the almond mixture with the egg whites and the baking powder. Continue mixing until you get an homogenous and little sticky dough. Do not add any liquid, just mix. Warm up the oven at 160C.
- Slightly wet your hands and start making small balls (about 2 cm diameter, and place them in a baking tray lined up with some baking paper. Leave space among the cookies as they will expand while baking.
- Cook for 17 minutes at 160C. They will get crunchy and chewy. Let them cool and enjoy! They last up to a week if stored on a sealed container.
I do have a scientific mind, probably it’s the reason why I love to hide in the kitchen and start creating.
My cooking is healthy, fun and colorful… and really tasty!
What are you waiting for? Grab your apron and start creating with me!
