Mandorlini Del Ponte

Mandorlini del Ponte

Crisp, golden almond cookies from the Ligurian village of Ceparana, traditionally made on a bridge over the Vara river for the village's patron saint festival. They have a delicate crackled crust and a soft, marzipan-like center.

Prep

20 min

Cook

25 min

Total

45 min

Serves

24 cookies

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •250 g (9 oz) blanched almonds, skinless, as required for the pale dough
• •200 g (1 cup) caster sugar
• •30 g (¼ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
• •2 g (½ tsp) baking powder
• •2 g (½ tsp) vanilla extract, or one vanilla bean, seeds scraped
• •1 g lemon zest, finely grated zest of one unwaxed lemon
• •2 whole egg whites, from large eggs, at room temperature
• •1 g (pinch) fine salt
• •30 g (¼ cup) whole blanched almonds, for topping each cookie
• •10 g (2 tsp) icing (confectioners') sugar, for dusting

Steps

1. 1 Preheat the oven to 170°C / 340°F (fan 160°C / 320°F). Line two baking trays with baking parchment.
2. 2 Pulse the 250 g blanched almonds with the caster sugar in a food processor until you have a fine, sandy meal. Do not over-process or it will turn into almond butter.
3. 3 Add the flour, baking powder, vanilla, lemon zest and salt; pulse briefly to combine.
4. 4 Add the egg whites and pulse just until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. If too soft to handle, chill for 15 minutes.
5. 5 Scoop tablespoons of dough (about 20 g / 0.7 oz each) and roll between lightly damp hands into smooth balls.
6. 6 Place the balls on the prepared trays, spacing them about 4 cm / 1½ in apart. Press one whole blanched almond gently into the top of each.
7. 7 Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the cookies are set, pale gold at the base and just barely coloured on top. They should feel firm on the outside.
8. 8 Let cool on the tray for 5 minutes (they firm up as they cool), then transfer to a wire rack.
9. 9 Dust with icing sugar once completely cold. Store in an airtight tin for up to 10 days.