Ricciarelli (I now can't read that word without putting on a rubbish Italian accent...)
Ricciarelli are beautiful almond biscuits that have a macaroon-like texture to them. They are incredibly moreish and go well with a good, strong, Italian coffee. They are traditionally longer in shape but I prefer them round as I think you get more consistency.
Most of the recipes for ricciarelli are massively complex, but after speaking to an owner of a Tuscan farm, I've managed to find a quick, easy and simple way of making these beautiful biscuits.
Providing you purchase the right baking powder, these biscuits are also gluten free and also vegetarian.
The recipe has only six ingredients, takes twenty-five minutes to prepare and a maximum of twenty minutes in the oven, so great for a cooking novice who wants to try something new, and away from the easy and conventional fairy cakes.
The recipe should make around 18-20 biscuits. I haven't bothered putting calorie information, because it's a moreish biscuit and I'd hate for you to feel guilty when you've eaten five, (as if I did that today...)
Ingredients
Method
Pictures; top left - the dough, top right - rolling in the icing sugar, bottom left - flattening the dough, bottom right - how they should look before they come out of the oven!
Note for UK readers - ground almonds are quite expensive usually, but I bought a 180g bag from Aldi for £1.79 and I also got my icing sugar from Aldi at a bargain price of 65p for a 500g bag!
Update - If you would prefer not to use the vanilla bean paste, replace it with a teaspoon of vanilla essence and take out the teaspoon of water from the recipe.
Ricciarelli are beautiful almond biscuits that have a macaroon-like texture to them. They are incredibly moreish and go well with a good, strong, Italian coffee. They are traditionally longer in shape but I prefer them round as I think you get more consistency.
Most of the recipes for ricciarelli are massively complex, but after speaking to an owner of a Tuscan farm, I've managed to find a quick, easy and simple way of making these beautiful biscuits.
Providing you purchase the right baking powder, these biscuits are also gluten free and also vegetarian.
The recipe has only six ingredients, takes twenty-five minutes to prepare and a maximum of twenty minutes in the oven, so great for a cooking novice who wants to try something new, and away from the easy and conventional fairy cakes.
The recipe should make around 18-20 biscuits. I haven't bothered putting calorie information, because it's a moreish biscuit and I'd hate for you to feel guilty when you've eaten five, (as if I did that today...)
Ingredients
- 250g ground almonds
- 250g icing sugar (plus extra for dusting)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 teaspoon cold water
- 2 egg whites
- 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4.
- Line a baking tray with grease-proof paper.
- Put the dry ingredients (almonds, icing sugar and baking powder) into a bowl and mix together.
- In a separate bowl, mix the egg whites, so that they form stiff peaks (see picture).
- Fold in the egg whites, water and vanilla into the dry ingredients (don't worry about losing the air in the egg whites - this is what the baking powder is for).
- You'll notice the dough is sticky and dense, once all the ingredients have combined.
- Sieve some icing sugar onto a plate.
- Roll the dough into walnut size balls and roll in the icing sugar, ensuring they are completely covered in the icing sugar.
- Once you have done this with all the dough, put them on the baking tray and press them down with two fingers (see pictures).
- Put in the oven for 15-18 minutes or until a light, golden brown.
- Once out of the oven, leave them on the tray to cool, do not attempt to transfer to a wire rack otherwise you'll leave half the biscuit on the tray!
- Once cool, give them a final dust with icing sugar and then enjoy!
Pictures; top left - the dough, top right - rolling in the icing sugar, bottom left - flattening the dough, bottom right - how they should look before they come out of the oven!
After they come out the oven and cooled - golden brown and dusted with more icing sugar!
Note for UK readers - ground almonds are quite expensive usually, but I bought a 180g bag from Aldi for £1.79 and I also got my icing sugar from Aldi at a bargain price of 65p for a 500g bag!
Update - If you would prefer not to use the vanilla bean paste, replace it with a teaspoon of vanilla essence and take out the teaspoon of water from the recipe.