Italian Almond Paste Cookies (Paste di Mandorla)

From ButterYum

makes 24 cookies

Ingredients

• 250 grams almond flour, sifted

• 150 grams confectioner’s sugar, sifted

• pinch of salt

• 3 egg whites

• 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract

• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 12 maraschino cherries, drained and cut in half

Directions

1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together almond flour, confectioner’s sugar, and salt; set aside.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg whites, almond extract, and vanilla extract until very frothy (no liquid egg white in the bottom of the bowl).

3. Immediately stir the frothy egg whites into the almond flour mixture until a thick paste forms and no traces of dry ingredients remain (this can be done in a food processor too).

4. Transfer the cookie dough to a large piping bag fitted with a large star tip.

5. Pipe the cookie dough into 2-inch swirls (as shown) on silpat-lined half sheet pans, and press a cherry half into the center of each cookie.

6. Chill cookie dough for an hour before baking (or freeze for 20 minutes).

7. Preheat oven to 350F and place rack in center of oven.

8. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cookies brown on the edges; allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.

Notes

• Almond meal may be used in place of almond flour. You can also make almond flour by grinding blanched almonds in a food processor until until finely ground.

• Sheet pans can be lined with parchment instead of a silpat liners, but the parchment is more difficult to pipe the sticky cookie dough onto.

• Candied cherries can be used in place of maraschino cherries.