Italian cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Ricciarelli di Siena

Soft Sienese almond cookies shaped like diamonds, thickly coated in powdered sugar and almost marzipan-like inside.

Ingredients · for 8 servings

• 300 g ground almonds
• 250 g powdered sugar
• 2 egg whites
• 1 organic orange (zest)
• 1 tsp bitter almond extract
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 pinch salt
• 100 g powdered sugar, for coating

Instructions

1. Thoroughly mix the ground almonds, 250 g powdered sugar, baking powder and finely grated orange zest in a bowl.
2. Whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff, stir in the bitter almond extract, and fold the whites into the almond mixture in two batches until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms.
3. Shape the dough into a log, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 20 min so it can be portioned cleanly.
4. Cut the dough into about 20 equal pieces, shape into ovals, flatten slightly, and trim both ends at an angle to form the characteristic diamond shape.
5. Roll the cookies generously in the remaining powdered sugar, place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and let dry uncovered for 1 hour.
6. Bake at 150°C top/bottom heat for 14–16 min until the ricciarelli stay pale and only the surface shows fine cracks — they should stay soft inside; let cool completely and serve.