Sienese Soft Almond Cookies with Orange Zest

What you need

• 215 g (2 1/4 cups) almond flour, blanched
• 200 g (1 3/4 cups) powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1 tsp orange zest, finely grated
• 40 g (1/3 cup) powdered sugar for coating

Method

Restated from the original video

1. 1

   Stir the almond flour, powdered sugar and salt together in a bowl.

2. 2

   In a clean, dry bowl, beat the egg whites with the lemon juice until frothy, then keep beating on medium-high until they hold stiff peaks, 3-4 min.

3. 3

   Fold the almond extract and orange zest into the whites.

4. 4

   Sift the almond mixture over the whites in 2-3 additions, folding gently after each. The result is a soft, sticky dough, not a light foam.

5. 5

   Line a baking sheet with parchment. Put the extra powdered sugar in a shallow dish.

6. 6

   With damp hands, roll the dough into balls of about 24 g (a little under 3 cm / 1 in across). Roll each in the sugar until fully coated, then shape into an oval.

7. 7

   Set the cookies on the sheet 3 cm (1 in) apart.

8. 8

   Leave uncovered at room temperature for 30-60 min, until the tops feel dry and a thin shell forms. Longer in humid weather.

9. 9

   Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 150 °C (300 °F).

10. 10

    Press each dried cookie down slightly and pinch opposite ends so the shell cracks a little.

11. 11

    Bake until set and still pale, about 20 min. Do not let them brown; the centers stay soft.

12. 12

    Cool on the sheet for 10 min, then store airtight. They taste better the next day.

Imported from pinchmeimeating.com. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.