Recipe: Italian Amaretti Cookies

Amaretti Cookies
Adapted from Great Italian Desserts by Nick Malgieri

Amaretti is the Italian name for macaroons, which means little bitter things. For optimum results make sure you use canned almond paste, which is available in most grocery stores (especially around Christmas time).

8 ounces (225 grams) canned almond paste
1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar
2 large egg whites
Granulated white sugar for dusting cookies

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Have ready a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) plain tip.

Break or cut the almond paste into small pieces and place in bowl of electric mixer along with the sugar. Mix on low speed until very fine. Add egg whites in three additions, mixing well after each addition. Continue mixing the dough until very smooth, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Fill the pastry bag with the almond mixture. Pipe 1 1/2 inch (3.75 cm) mounds onto the parchment paper, spacing about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart. After you have filled the baking sheet with cookie mounds, take a damp paper towel or cloth and lightly press the top of each cookie to smooth out the surface (you want to smooth out the tip of dough at the top of each cookie caused from piping). Lightly sprinkle a little sugar on top of each cookie.

Bake for 15 minutes, until the cookies have risen, are a deep golden color and have tiny cracks. Remove from the oven and place baking pan on a rack to cool. When cool gently peel cookies from parchment. If they stick to parchment, turn the paper over, take a damp paper towel and gently wipe the bottom of the parchment paper to loosen the cookie.

Makes 3 1/2 dozen