by mrslarkin
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my 138 recipes »
mrslarkin's Notes:
Expand1 cup toasted almonds, skins on Ask a question about this ingredient
1 cup toasted hazelnuts, skins removed Ask a question about this ingredient
12 cardamom pods, seeds removed and crushed Ask a question about this ingredient
grated zest of 1 large orange Ask a question about this ingredient
2 cups confectioner’s sugar (spoon into measuring cup, then sweep off excess with a knife or offset spatula) Ask a question about this ingredient
2 large egg whites, room temperature Ask a question about this ingredient
24 whole toasted almonds and/or hazelnuts for decorating the cookies Ask a question about this ingredient
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 4 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Ask a question about this stepPlace almonds, hazelnuts, cardamom and orange zest in the bowl of a food processor. Process until nuts are ground.
Ask a question about this stepAdd confectioner’s sugar and pulse a few more times to blend, and the nuts are finely ground. Turn out to a large bowl.
Ask a question about this stepIn a medium bowl, whisk egg whites for a minute or two, until fluffy. Pour over nut mixture, and blend well, mashing the mixture with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to evenly incorporate the egg whites. Form into a ball shape.
Ask a question about this stepDivide dough into 24 balls. I use a small ice cream/cookie scoop, about 1 1/4 inch in diameter, which make them pretty uniform in size. Place on cookie sheets, 2 inches apart. Press whole almonds/hazelnuts onto cookies. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until just lightly browned on top. Let cool completely on pans before removing.
Ask a question about this stepAlternatively, after forming the 24 balls, roll each one out into 4 inch long logs, and form into a chubby “s” shape. A little powdered sugar sprinkled on your fingertips helps with the rolling.
Ask a question about this stepCooking tip: if your eggs are cold, place them in some hot tap water for a few minutes, to bring them to room temperature faster.
Ask a question about this stepLet me know how they turn out! Great idea to keep almond/hazelnut meal in the freezer!!
Cardamom with orange is one of my favorite pairings.
Love the idea of doing this all-almond -- can't wait to try these!
Let me know if you do! This is a great all-around "holiday" cookie.
any thoughts on a good substitute for the hazelnuts (or is that blasphemous?!) I'm very allergic to them!
Orange and cardamom........my dream. I think it would work well with cumin too!
Michael is a food critic and established cookbook author -- Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking is the most recent addition to his vast body of work.
Yippee....I have both almond and hazelnut meal in my freezer. I can make these delicious sounding treats today! - S