Ricciarelli from Chef Michael Vignapiano

Yield 20 ea

Ingredients:

• 200g /7oz. Almond Flour
• 175g/6 oz. Confectioners Sugar
• 1 ea Orange Zest, grated
• 60g/2oz. Egg Whites
• 11g/2tsp Honey
• 1 drop Vanilla Extract
• 1 drop Almond Extract
• 1 drop Almond Extract
• Confectioners Sugar for rolling and dusting

Equipment needed:

• Scale
• 2 mixing bowls
• Grater or micro plane grater
• Electric Hand mixer or Kitchen Aid mixer with whip attachment Rubber spatula
• Sugar Duster or small sieve
• 1-2 Cookie sheets
• Parchment paper or Silpat

Instructions:

1. In a bowl combine the almond flour, confectioners sugar and grated orange zest. Set aside
2. In a clean, grease-free bowl large enough to hold all of the ingredients, add the egg whites and whip to stiff peaks.
3. Fold in the honey, and extracts.
4. Gently add and fold in the almond flour mixture in stages until all of the mixture is combined and moistened. Cover the mixture and place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours and preferably overnight.
5. Take the mixture from the refrigerator and turn out onto a table dusted with confectioners sugar.
6. Roll the mixture into a log approximately the length of the cookie sheet
7. Cut the log into 20 pieces ( approx. 20g/.7 oz each).
8. Gently shape each piece into a lozenge shape, and place onto the cookie sheet leaving about an inch space between each piece.
9. Dust the cookies heavily with confectioners sugar and allow the cookies to sit at room temperature for approximately 30 min.
10. Bake the cookies in the middle portion of the oven set to 300F for approximately 12-15 min.

Allow the cookies to cool complete. They should have a cracked surface and moist interior.

The cookies will keep in a tightly covered container for about a week.