Armaretti (Italian Macaroons)

Ingredients

• 1 cup blanched whole almonds
• 110g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
• 2 eggwhites
• Pinch of cream of tartar
• 2 tbs pure icing sugar
• 5ml (1 tsp) almond essence
• 1/4 cup flaked almonds
• Espresso, to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Place almonds on a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes until golden brown, turning after 5 minutes. Set aside to cool. Reduce oven temperature to 160°C.
2. Place almonds and half the caster sugar in a food processor and process until fine crumbs. Beat eggwhites and cream of tartar in a bowl until stiff peaks form. Gradually add remaining caster sugar until combined and glossy, then beat in almond essence. Combine almond mixture and icing sugar in a bowl. Fold into eggwhites until just combined.
3. Grease and line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Spoon mixture into a piping bag (use a 1cm nozzle) and pipe rounds, about 3cm in diameter, on tray (or place spoonfuls of mixture on tray).
4. Top each biscuit with a flaked almond, then bake for 15 minutes until crisp. Cool completely. Serve with espresso.