Soft Almond Biscuits
By OcadoLife
Published on 10 May 2022
These Soft Almond Biscuits by Rome-based food writer Rachel Roddy are inspired by Sicily’s pasticcini di mandorle – tender little marzipan bites that are pale gold and crisp on the outside and fudgy on the inside. Rachel advises blitzing whole almonds for a bit more texture, but you can also use ready-ground almonds, especially if you’re tight on time.Time and servings
25 minsTotal time
15 minsPrep time
10 minsCooking time
Ingredients
- 200 g of blanched almonds (or use ground almonds)
- 150 g of icing sugar, plus extra for dusting
- 1 lemon, zested
- 1 large egg white
- 8 glacé cherries, halved, or 16 blanched almonds, or a mix of both
Method
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C fan/gas 3. Line a baking tray with 2 layers of baking paper.Step 2
In a food processor, blitz the almonds to a fine flour (or use ground almonds). Tip into a bowl, then add the icing sugar and lemon zest.Step 3
Whisk the egg white with a fork until frothy, add to the almond mixture and bring everything together into a dough (using your hands is best for this). The mixture should be soft and just a little sticky; if it seems too dry, simply add a drop or two of water.Step 4
Dust your hands with icing sugar and form balls by rolling walnut-sized lumps of dough between your palms.Step 5
Put the balls on the lined baking tray, spacing them 2cm apart. Make an indent in each and fill with half a glacé cherry or an almond. Bake them on the middle shelf of the oven for 10-12 mins or until pale gold; remove from the oven. The biscuits will still be soft, so leave to cool completely on the tray before lifting onto a plate and dusting with a little more icing sugar. The biscuits will keep well in an airtight container for 3-5 days.