Melt-In-Your-Mouth Italian Lemon / Limoncello Amaretti - Almond Cookies (e87)

Buon giorno a tutti. In this episode, Nonna Mia, la nonna di tutti - (everybody's grandma), bakes up an incredibly easy, but absolutely delicious, gluten-free, almond-based cookie, referred to as amaretti. There aren't many ingredients and the process is rather simple. You and your family are going to love these!

Ingredients:
4 cups of almond flour (about a pound)
1 cup of granulated sugar
3 egg whites
tsp of lemon juice or limoncello
zest from 2 lemons (about 3 TBSP)
pinch of salt
1 tsp of baking powder
icing (powdered) sugar for rolling the cookies
granulated sugar for rolling the cookies

In a mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. In a standing mixer, or using an electric hand mixer, whip up the egg whites until soft peaks form. Blend the egg whites with the dry ingredients, adding in the lemon juice and or limoncello. The consistency should be dense and form a ball when you scrunch your palm.

Using water on your palm to reduce stickiness, begin rolling consistently-sized, small balls, then roll through the granulated sugar and finally through the powdered sugar. Place on a parchment-lined tray.

Preheat oven to 325 F and bake for about 15 minutes. Place on a cooling rack. YIELD: 36

Pour yourself an espresso, and enjoy! Buon appetito!