Ingredients:
1 cup whole almonds ( blanched)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 pinch cream of tartar
slivered almonds, to decorate (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F Place almonds on a sml baking sheet & bake 10-12 minutes, turning occ till golden brown. Allow almonds to cool to room temperature Reduce oven temp to 325 F.
Line a lrg baking sheet w/baking parchment. In a food processor, process the toasted almonds w/half the sugar till the almonds are finely ground but not oily.
Transfer the ground almonds to a bowl & stir in cocoa powder & confectioner’s sugar. Set aside.
In a med mixing bowl, beat egg whites & cream of tartar w/a hand-held mixer till stiff peaks form.
Sprinkle in the remaining sugar 1 tbsp at a time, beating well after ea addition & cont beating till the whites are glossy & stiff. Beat in the almond extract.
Add the almond sugar mixture & gently fold into the beaten egg whites till just blended.
Spoon the mixture into a lrg piping bag filled w/a plain 1/2 in nozzle. Pipe 1 1/2 in rounds about 1 in apart on the prepared baking sheet. Press a slivered almond into the center of ea cookie.
Bake cookies for 12-15 minutes or till they are crisp. Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes.
W/a metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely. When cool, store in an airtight jar or cookie tin.
Servings: Serve
Time preparation: 45 min.
Time total: 75 min.