Amaretti Italian Macaron Cookies Recipes

AMARETTI (ITALIAN MACARON COOKIES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325° F. Line baking pan with parchment paper.
• In a stand mixer or food processor, blend the almond paste, sugar, and salt until crumbly.
• In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until very frothy. (Don't beat long enough to form peaks.)
• Gradually add almond extract, bitter almond oil, and beaten egg whites to the almond paste mixture.
• Using a small scoop, form cookies and place on prepared baking sheet.
• Sprinkle cookies lightly with confectioners' sugar and sliced almonds.
• Using three fingers, press indentations into the center of each cookie. (This keeps them from puffing up too much during baking.)
• Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, until the very edges are just turning golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

BONNIE'S AMARETTI COOKIES

Steps:

• Line three baking sheets with Silpat baking mats.
• Grind almonds with granulated sugar in the bowl of a food processor until fine. Transfer to a medium bowl. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add almond extract. Gently stir egg-white mixture into almond mixture to form a thick paste.
• Drop dough in rounded teaspoons onto prepared baking sheets about 1 1/2 inches apart. Dust with confectioners' sugar, and let stand at room temperature to dry for 2 hours.
• Place rack in center of oven, and preheat oven to 300 degrees. Transfer sheets to oven, and bake amaretti until edges are golden and cookies are firm, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Repeat with remaining cookie dough.