Amaretti Biscuits
Crispy, chewy Italian almond biscuits with a distinctive bitter almond flavor. Perfect with coffee or dessert wine.
Ingredients
Blanched whole almonds
Ammonium bicarbonate
or baking powder
Granulated sugar
Icing sugar
Egg whites
about 2 medium eggs
Armelline bitter apricot kernels
or 5 drops bitter almond extract
You'll need
- Food processor— for grinding almonds
- Baking sheet
- Baking paper
- 2 mixing bowls
- Electric whisk— for stiff peaks
Method
Preheat oven
Preheat the oven to 170°C/338°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Grind almonds
In a food processor, grind the blanched almonds into a fine powder.
Mix dry ingredients
In a mixing bowl, combine the almond powder with the granulated sugar, icing sugar, and ammonium bicarbonate.
Whisk egg whites
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
Add flavoring
Add the Armelline or bitter almond extract to the egg whites and whisk briefly to combine.
Combine mixtures
Fold the egg white mixture into the almond mixture until well combined.
Shape biscuits
Using a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon, portion the dough into small balls and roll between your palms to shape into smooth balls.
Bake
Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2cm space between them. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly golden on the outside.
Cool
Remove from the oven and let cool completely before removing from the baking sheet. They will harden as they cool.