Italian Chewy Almond Cookies

Italian Chewy Almond Cookies

Italian Almond Paste Cookies, also known as almond macaroons, are a soft, chewy, and highly addictive delight perfect for Christmas or Passover.

INGREDIENTS

Cookies:

• 290 g blanched almond flour 
• 200 g sugar
• 90 g egg whites from 3 eggs
• 2 tbsp smooth apricot jam 
• 3-5 drops bitter almond extract 
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract optional
• 1-2 tbsp orange zest optional
• 1-2 tbsp lemon zest optional

Topping:

• 1 egg white
• 150 g slivered almonds
• powdered sugar optional

METHOD

Cookies:

1_Whip the 3 egg whites for a minute or two by hand or with an electric mixer, until you get soft peaks. If you lift the whisk, the peak of the meringue will be soft and fold on itself.

2_Add the salt, almond and vanilla extract. Mix until combined.

3_Combine the almond flour, sugar and the orange/lemon zest (if using) together in a separate bowl.

4_Add the whipped egg whites and the apricot jam to the almond mixture and fold it together with a spatula. The egg whites will deflate and the dough is ready when everything is nicely distributed and combined.

5_The dough should be sticky, but if you see that it doesn't hold the shape at all, you need to add more almond flour. Add as much as you need to get a dough that is sticky but workable. This will probably happen if you grind your almond flour coarser or if your got more egg whites.

6_Preheat the oven to 160 °C (325°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Topping:

1_In a smaller bowl or a plate, whisk the egg white for a few seconds with a fork just to break it up.

2_Place the slivered almonds on a plate, so that you can roll the almond mass into them.

3_If you want your cookies to also have powdered sugar around, prapare also a bowl with sifted powdered sugar.

Assemble:

1_Take a tablespoon of the prepared dough and shape it into an oval or a circle with your hands. If the mixture is too sticky, dampen your palms with water or egg whites.

2_Now lightly roll the dough into the egg whites, so it gets wet and the almonds will stick to it.

3_Place the cookie on the almonds, press and roll it over and around, so that almonds are covering all of the cookie. Don't worry if the cookies lose shape, they are meant to look rustic. You can easily fix the shape on the baking pan.

4_This part is a bit sticky and messy but, have fun with it and don't worry too much.

5_If you are also using powdered sugar, this is the time to roll the cookie in it.

6_Place the cookie on the prepared baking sheet.

7_Repeat with the rest of the dough. You can also do a few cookies at a time, placing 4 cookies into the egg whites and them rolling them in almonds.

8_The cookies don't really rise up that much, but they should be placed evenly apart, about 3 cm (1 inch).

9_Bake for around 20-25 minutes. The almonds will be slightly toasted and golden on the outside. Leave them to cool on the baking mat and then place on a wire rack.

Notes

Be careful with the amount of almond extract that you use, they are very potent. Try with less and next time use more if you want a stronger flavor.