ITALIAN ALMOND COOKIES

MISE EN PLACE FOR THE COOKIE DOUGH

• Toast the almond slices in the oven until golden brown OR spoon 1/2 cup of almond flour into a skillet and toast the flour, stirring constantly. Let cool .
• Wiz in a food processor until finely ground.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside
• Add the almond flour to the dry ingredients.

Toasted flour with the other dry ingredients

• Measure the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand or hand-held mixer.
• Zest the orange.
• Separate the egg, place the yolk in a small bowl and add the vanilla to it. Stir to combine.
• Cover the egg white in plastic and refrigerate.
• Finally, spread two large sheets of plastic wrap onto a clean section of counter space for the finished dough.

ASSEMBLE THE COOKIE DOUGH

• Beat together butter and sugar for about 3 minutes until fluffy.

Fluffy butter and sugar.

• Add egg yolk, orange zest, and vanilla; beat to combine. Add dry ingredients to the bowl and beat until the dry ingredients are moistened.

Unformed cookie dough.

• Divide dough into two equal pieces. Form each piece into a 1-inch wide log and roll them in the plastic wrap.
• Refrigerate for 1 hour, or overnight.

Roll the cookie dough to one inch in diameter.

Roll the cookie dough to one inch in diameter.

CUT THE COOKIES

• Adjust oven rack to lower and middle positions and preheat oven to 350°F.
• Line 3-4 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• With you serrated blade, cut the first log into generous ¼ inch slices.

Slice the cookies to bake.

• Arrange about 15 per tray (they will not spread) and refrigerate until all the cookies are cut.

COATING THE COOKIES

• Spread the sliced or slivered almonds onto a flat surface, or in wide mouth bowl.
• Ready the egg white.
• Working quickly, keeping the dough cold (or cool), dip one side of the cookie into the egg white and press the cookie into the sliced or slivered almonds.

Coating the cookies with almonds.

Coating the cookies with almond slices.
 

• The sliced almonds will stick randomly and will not necessarily stay neatly within the limits of the cookie. This is okay.
• Press the cookie until there is a somewhat even coating of almonds on the surface of the dough.

A tray of cookies coated with sliced almonds.

Cookies coated with slivered almonds.

• Repeat with the remaining cookies and refrigerate until ready to bake.

BAKE THE COOKIES

• Bake at 350ºF for about 15 minutes until golden.
• Bake for a minute or two less for a chewy cookie or bake for a minute or two more for a crunchy one. I like them a little crunchy.

Baked cookies before I set them under the broiler for just a few minutes

• If the cookies are baked, but the almonds aren't brown, It might be necessary to set the tray under the broiler for a few minutes, just to get a nice toasty texture. This last step will transform your cookie from one that is delicious to one that is especially delicious.

Italian Orange Almond Cookies, The Finer Cookie.

• Let cool 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack. Using your two fingers, pinch the confectioners sugar and sprinkle the tops of each cookie. Then follow with the finely ground black pepper if you'd like.