Almonds & Tangerine Cookies

Photo credit: © Eatwell101.comLarge holiday feasts come soon with the end of the month and when your menu is hearty and no one has much room for dessert, you may need to come up with something light but original. Enter these Incredibly simple but very tasty Italian cookies – Amaretti! Loaded with ground almonds these cookies have a crispy exterior that marries perfectly with the chewy interior. Making a twist on the original amaretti recipe, we added tangerine flavor to complement this heavy almond lusciousness. You’ll just be able to watch the pile of these chewy little cookies quickly disappear!

Ingredient list for the almond and tangerine amaretti cookies

Makes 30:

• 2 1/3 cup (200g) ground almonds
• 2 egg whites, at room temperature
• 1 cup (180g) caster sugar
• 3 teaspoon of pure almond extract or Amaretto liqueur
• Zest of 2 tangerines
• Granulated sugar for the coating
• 30 whole almonds

Directions

1. In a bowl, mix the ground almonds, caster sugar, grated zest of tangerines and almond extract.
2. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold them gently into the above mixture. Let rest in the fridge for 3 hours, covered with plastic wrap.
3. Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C).
4. Roll mixture into 1-inch balls, coat in granulated sugar. Place 2 inches apart on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
5. Flatten slightly with your finger and put a whole almond in the center.
6. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes. They should not be colored and remain soft in the center. Cracks should appear only on the sides.
7. Let cool for 4/5 minutes before transferring on a rack.