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Cookies with Nuts
Amaretti legier (with sweet and bitter almonds, eggs and castor sugar)
Originated from: Italy
Occasion: Special times
Contributed by: Taken from "The Cook's Decameron" by W.G. Waters (William Heineman, 1920)

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Ingredients

Almonds (sweet and bitter)
Eggs
Castor sugar



Directions

"Blanch equal quantities of sweet and bitter almonds, and dry them a little in the oven, then pound them in a mortar, and add nearly double their quantity of castor sugar. Mix with the white of an egg well beaten up into a snow, and shape into little balls about the size of a pigeon's egg. Put them on a piece of stout white paper, and bake them in a very slow oven. They should be very light and delicate in flavour."


Notes

The recipe was taken from the copyright-free cookbook entitled, "The Cook's Decameron: A Study in Taste, Over Two Hundred Recipes of Italian Dishes," by Mrs. W.G. Waters. It was published by William Heinmann in 1920. For the entire cookbook see www.archive.org........ P.S. Bitter almonds are almost impossible to get in most North American cities. However, "Mandorle Amaro" is readily available, this essence might duplicate the same flavor as it is made from bitter almonds. According to Wikipedia "In Italy, sweet almonds are the base for amaretti (almond macaroons), a common dessert. Traditionally, a low percentage of bitter almonds (10-20%) is added to the ingredients, which gives the cookies that bitter taste...." Photo: Mary Melfi.

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