Marisa's Italian Kitchen

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Ricciarelli Italian Almond Cookies

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Ricciarelli, Italian Almond Cookies are typical Christmas cookies from Siena, Italy. They’re exquisite little morsels and a joy to make!

Ricciarelli are Italian Almond Cookies. They're gluten free, lemon scented with soft chewy centres.

As I reflect each year on which cookies to add to my Christmas cookie platter, a balance of different textures and flavours is what I look for. Some have to include a type of nut while some are without.

I would need at least one colourful treat to brighten up the mound of cookies piled up high on my holiday platter. Such as these Italian Rainbow Cookies.

And then we mustn’t forget family members with dietary restrictions such as those who are gluten intolerant! They too need a perfectly satisfying sweet nibble! This is where these Ricciarelli make an appearance!

Ricciarelli are Italian Almond Cookies. They're gluten free, lemon scented with soft chewy centres.

What I love about these cookies is that you really don’t need any serious baking skills. It’s simply a few very good quality ingredients consisting mostly of finely ground almonds and some powdered sugar.

They’re almond and lemon scented and also wonderfully perfumed with the seeds of a vanilla bean.

A touch of beaten egg whites binds the ingredients together to bring you a deliciously soft and chewy cookie with its distinctive crackled appearance.

Ricciarelli are Italian Almond Cookies. They're gluten free, lemon scented with soft chewy centres.

You can make this cookie in different stages if you wish.

Day 1…you can blanch your own almonds if your so inclined. This is a process I really enjoy doing and extremely easy to do. You can check out my notes below.

Day 2…you can prepare the cookie dough and refrigerate over night.

Day 3…slice, shape and bake! Its pretty simple right? Told you so!

Ricciarelli are Italian Almond Cookies. They're gluten free, lemon scented with soft chewy centres.

A Little About Ricciarelli Cookies

Aside from being a Sienese Christmas treat, these cookies are customarily shaped into an oval or diamond form.

Some would say that the oval shape was meant to represent the eyes of the Madonna by Renaissance painters.

However, according to one legend it is said that a noble knight, Ricciardetto Della Gherardesca introduced the diamond shaped form of this cookie. Its oval shape with the pointed tips greatly reminded him of the Sultan’s slippers from his crusades of the far East. Hence the name Ricciarelli!

Ricciarelli are Italian Almond Cookies. They're gluten free, lemon scented with soft chewy centres.

Whatever shape or form you decide on, I’m sure you’ll agree these cookies reign supreme in elegance and simplicity.

Serve alongside your favourite sweet wine or Vin Santo and enjoy them in the company of your wonderful family members or friends!

Happy Holidays dear friends!

Ricciarelli are Italian Almond Cookies. They're gluten free, lemon scented with soft chewy centres.

Ricciarelli are Italian Almond Cookies. They're gluten free, lemon scented with soft chewy centres.

If you make this recipe remember to tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!

 

Ricciarelli are Italian Almond Cookies. They're gluten free, lemon scented with soft chewy centres.
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Ricciarelli Italian Almond Cookies

Ricciareli, Italian Almond Cookies are deliciously soft and chewy cookies with a distinctive crackled surface. A typical Sienese Christmas cookie.

Course Dessert
Cuisine Italian
Keyword Ricciarelli Italian Almond Cookies
Servings 24 cookies

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups blanched almonds see notes below for blanching your own
  • 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
  • lemon zest from half a lemon
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
  • seeds from 1 vanilla bean
  • egg whites from 2 large eggs
  • powdered sugar for dusting approximately 1 cup

Instructions

Preparing The Cookie Dough

  1. In a food processor, pulse together the blanched almonds with 3/4 cups of the powdered sugar until fine in texture.

  2. Add in the remaining sugar, lemon zest, almond extract, the vanilla bean seeds and pulse together until very fine. Set aside.

  3. In a small bowl, beat the egg whites with a fork just until foamy.

  4. Add the beaten egg whites to the almond mixture, 1 teaspoon at a time while stirring  just until you've achieved a stiff dough.

  5. Dust your hands and a flat work surface with a little powdered sugar and roll out the cookie dough into a log about one inch and a half in diameter.

  6. Wrap with cling wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

When Ready To Bake

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

  2. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

  3. Slice the cookie dough into 24 equal portions and roll each into a ball.

  4. One at a time, slightly flatten each ball between the palms of your hands while forming into an oval shape.

  5. Place the shaped cookies onto the prepared baking sheets while spacing them 2 inches apart.

  6. Dust generously with powdered sugar.

  7. Bake one sheet at a time in the preheated oven for about 12 to 15 minutes or until the sides are pale golden in colour.

  8. Take care not to over bake them. They should look dry and not overly dark.

  9. Allow to cool completely before removing from the baking sheet as these cookies are very soft and fragile when removed from the oven.

  10. Enjoy with your favourite sweet wine or Vin Santo.

  11. They keep well for up to a week at room temperature sealed in an air tight container.

Recipe Notes

Blanching Almonds

Place the almonds in a pot of boiling water and allow to simmer for about 60 to 70 seconds. The almonds will start to rise and bob on the surface. The skin will have a shriveled up appearance.

Drain the almonds and run under cold water then pat dry with a clean dish towel.

One at a time, gently press on the almond between your thumb and index finger to release the nut from its skin.

Allow the blanched almonds to dry at room temperature, on a clean dish towel, before proceeding with the recipe. This can also be done overnight.

If your pressed for time you can dry the almonds in a low heated oven for 5 minutes or so.

 

Struffoli Italian Honey Balls

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Struffoli Italian Honey Balls are a specialty treat during the Christmas holidays. They’re deep fried morsels of dough which are then dipped in a lemon honey syrup and topped with festive sprinkles

 Struffoli Italian Honey Balls

One thing I can pretty much predict for this holiday season is definitely a white Christmas. Not that we’ve had a copious amount of snow in one snowfall. However, 5 centimetres or so of the white fluff every other day is certainly adding up. But no complaining here! I much rather prefer the snow to the frigid cold air that’s gripping us today.

However, and more importantly are these Struffoli or rather honey balls which will most certainly grace our table this holiday season.

Struffoli Italian Honey Balls

Struffoli are teeny puffs of dough the size of a hazelnut and are deep fried till golden brown in colour. Then, they’re tossed in a warm honey and lemon syrup which the fritters lovingly soak up.

There’s a small amount of sugar in the dough itself and gets most of its sweetness from the warmed honey so do choose a good quality one.

I’ve added one of hubby’s fine grappas to the dough mixture but there are other great alternatives. You can use limoncello which would greatly compliment the lemon honey syrup. Rum or brandy are also wonderful choices.

Struffoli Italian Honey Balls

How To Serve Struffoli

There are many ways you can be creative when serving up these morsels!

Dust off your favourite holiday platter and pile them up high. Add a generous sprinkle of some festive nonpareils and you’ll have the appearance of a Christmas tree.

Or shape into a Christmas wreath. Simply grease a tall glass and place it in the centre of your serving plater and spoon handfuls of the honey balls around the glass. Decorate with candied red and green cherries, sprinkles and allow to set an hour or so then remove the glass.

Struffoli Italian Honey Balls

About Struffoli

Struffoli are deep fried, honey drenched little morsels from Naples and are a typical Christmas time treat. Its history dates back to the 8th century when the Greeks colonized the southern Italian peninsula.

As with most Italian foods, these Struffoli are similar to other treats from different regions in Italy and go by different names.

In Abbruzzo, Le Marche and in Umbria they’re called Cicerchiata. In Basilica…Cicirata and in Calabria they’re known by Turtiddi.

Struffoli Italian Honey Balls

Whatever name you may call them we can certainly agree that they’re fun to make, yummy and extremely addictive!

Happy Baking!

If you make this recipe remember to tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!

Struffoli Italian Honey Balls
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Struffoli Italian Honey Balls

Struffoli Italian Honey Balls are deep fried morsels of dough which are then dipped in a lemon honey syrup and topped with festive sprinkles.

Course Dessert
Cuisine Italian
Keyword Struffoli Italian Honey Balls
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 8

Ingredients

  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons oil I used canola
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons grappa limoncello or rum are also good choices
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3 1/4 cups all purpose flour approximately
  • vegetable oil for deep frying

Honey Mixture

  • 1 cup honey
  • grated zest of a lemon
  • sprinkles of your choice

Instructions

  1. In a medium sized bowl whisk together the eggs, sugar, oil, vanilla extract, grappa and milk.

  2. Stir in the salt, baking powder, 3 cups of the flour and the remaining 1/4 cup of flour only as much as you need to achieve a soft malleable dough.

  3. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and with floured hands knead lightly for a minute.

  4. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and allow to rest for a 1/2 hour.

  5. Cut off small pieces of dough at a time and roll out into 1/2 inch thick ropes. If the dough feels sticky, dust your hands lightly with flour.

    Struffoli Italian Honey Balls

  6. Cut the ropes into small pieces the size of a hazelnut and shape into round balls with your hands.

  7. Transfer the shaped balls to parchment lined cookie sheets and repeat with the remaining dough. (you'll need 2 parchment lined cookie sheets)

  8. Fill a large and heavy deep sauce pot with oil, reaching about 2 inches high in the pot.

  9. Heat the oil over medium high heat to about 350 degrees F. Use a candy thermometer for accuracy.

  10. Fill a spider ladle or skimmer ladle with the pieces of dough and then using the ladle gently lower it into the hot oil.

  11. Fry until golden brown for about 1 1/2  to 2 minutes, then transfer onto a paper lined tray to drain.

  12. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough. I fried the tiny balls in 3 batches)

  13. In a separate large frying pan, heat the honey to a gentle simmer over low heat.

  14. Add the lemon peel, stir and turn off the heat.

  15. Add all the fried struffoli to the warmed honey and gently stir till the fried balls are evenly coated.

  16. Arrange the honey balls on a serving plater and pour any remaining honey mixture over the struffoli.

  17. Top with sprinkles of your choice and serve slightly warm or cooled off, allowing your guests to pluck the little morsels with their hands

Recipe Notes

Add your own touch by garnishing with your own choice of festive sprinkles, candied cherries or even roasted hazelnuts!

Store the struffoli covered at room temperature and enjoy within 3 days...if they last that long!

Apple Rose Cake

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Wow your guests with this simple and impressive Apple Rose Cake made with SweeTango apples. It’s far easier to make then it actually looks and so eye popping gorgeous that you’ll almost wish you didn’t have to slice into it. Well…almost!

Apple Rose Cake

This is not a sponsored post but rather a product we love and enjoy.

My husband just recently introduced me to the most incredibly sweet and crisp apple ever…the SweeTango apple! He came home one evening and diligently pulled out one single apple from his briefcase. A friend had given him the apple with very clear instructions that I was to be the taste tester of this remarkably delicious fruit.

After one bite it was quite evident that the SweetTango apple was indeed the best apple we’ve ever tasted.

I can truly say that we’ve been having our fair share of sweet tangos since!

Apple Rose Cake

A little About The SweeTango Apple

There is much to love about this tangy apple with its citrusy and honey taste.

The star child of the Honeycrisp and Zestar apple, this SweeTango inherited its crimson red hue with yellowish tinge from both parents. And… among other delicious attributes!

It’s crisp and snappy to the bite and also has the creamiest white flesh I’ve yet to see in any apple.

Apple Rose Cake

Can You Bake With SweeTango Apples?

Coincidently, I was making my way to redoing an older recipe in my archives, this Rustic Italian Apple Cake.

It totally needed a redo since the photos were not so flattering to the actual cake. And so, inspired by the creamy white flesh of the SweeTango apple I thought it would be wonderful to showcase the thin slices of apples by crowning them in a rosette fashion over the cake.

This would also test the theory if they actually held up well to baking.

So after a few miner tweaks to my original recipe, I must say it far surpassed my expectations. Except now it no longer looked rustic but rather quite elegant.

Deliciously elegant!

And oh so pretty!

Apple Rose Cake

With a little maple syrup gently brushed over the warm cake to give it a little sheen.

Then a light dusting of powdered sugar just before serving and you’ve got one very eye popping gorgeous Apple Rose Cake.

Apple Rose Cake

How To Shape And Form The Apple Slices Into A Rose

We start with thinly sliced apples, tossed in a large bowl with freshly squeezed lemon juice, melted butter and some brown sugar.

The apple mixture is then heated in the microwave to render them soft and pliable. The lemon juice will keep the apples from browning and the slices will absorb the melted butter with sugar. This helps to keep the apples hydrated during the baking time.

Start at the outer edge of the cake and place the apple slices upright while overlapping them and pressing them slightly into the batter.

Finish one full round circle then on the second round start placing the apples in front of two joined slices. Continue overlapping the apple slices till you’ve reached the center.

For one big center rose, you’ll want to line up 6 apple slices, one overlapping the other. Take one end and gently roll to the opposite end while keeping them tightly together.

Place in the center of the cake and your done!

Apple Rose Cake

Bake it for a special occasion or simply an anytime treat and enjoy with your favourite cup of coffee or tea!

Happy baking dear friends!

Apple Rose Cake

 

If you make this recipe remember to tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!

 

Apple Rose Cake
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Apple Rose Cake

Wow your guest with this simple and impressive Apple Rose Cake made with SweeTango apples and topped with a mound of sliced apples shaped to form a rose.

Course Dessert
Cuisine Italian
Keyword Apple Rose Cake
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 8

Ingredients

FOR THE APPLE ROSETTE TOPPING

  • 4 apples, halved, cored and thinly sliced about 1/8 inch thin I used SweeTango apples
  • freshly squeezed lemon juice from 1 medium lemon
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
  • 4 tablespoons brown sugar

FOR THE CAKE BATTER

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • lemon zest from 1 medium lemon
  • 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • pinch of salt I used fine sea salt
  • 1/2 cup almond milk or whole milk
  • 1 medium apple grated, I used Sweetango apple
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup, warmed for brushing over the cake
  • powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

FOR THE APPLE ROSETTE TOPPING

  1. Slice the apples in half, remove the core and slice each half into very thin slices. About 1/8 inch thin.

  2. Toss together the sliced apples, lemon juice, melted butter and brown sugar in a medium sized microwave safe bowl.

  3. Zap in the microwave for 2 minutes, turning to toss again half way through and set aside while you prepare the cake.

FOR THE CAKE BATTER

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

  2. Grease a 9 inch springform pan and set aside.

  3. In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter and sugar until creamy for about 1 minute.

  4. Beat in the eggs one at a time until well combined.

  5. Stir in the vanilla extract and the lemon zest.

  6. In a separate medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

  7. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the almond milk while making 3 additions of dry and two of wet.

  8. Fold in the grated apple pieces

  9. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and level the top with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.

  10. Starting at the outer edges of the cake, place the apples slices upright while pressing down a little into the batter. Do this for 1 whole circle and on the next round place the slices in front of two joined slices. Continue overlapping the slices till you reach the center

  11. If you want to add an apple rosette in the middle leave a little space and do this...line 6 slices of apples lengthwise while overlapping them slightly and start rolling from one end to the opposite end while shaping a rose then place in the center top of the cake.

  12. Bake in a preheated oven for 40 minutes or until a cake inserted in the center comes out clean.

  13. While still warm gently brush the top of the cake with the warm maple syrup and allow to cool. This will give the apples a pretty sheen.

  14. Dust the cake with the powdered sugar just before serving

Recipe Notes

Sweetango apples are available in Canada from about mid September to December.

In Quebec they are exclusive to Metro and IGA grocery stores.

If you can't find any in your area, try substituting them with Honeycrisp or Zestar apples

 

Chocolate and Pear Crostata

by 61 Comments

An elegant and impressive Chocolate and Pear Crostata with a silky smooth filling of finely ground walnuts and dark chocolate. As a bonus its remarkably easy to put together.

Chocolate and Pear Crostata

This recipe was originally published October 1, 2015 and republished August 29, 2018 with updated content and photos.

Although its been a couple of years since my dad passed away, his pear tree continues to flourish. A constant and wonderful reminder of how he passionately tended and nurtured his garden.

It lays mostly dormant right now except for this one majestic pear tree. This lone pear tree bears more fruit then we can possibly consume. Although, I must say the squirrels are certainly giving us a run for our money!

Its branches are now weighed down heavily and bursting with delectable fruits while some are strewn all over the ground, blanketing it in green and gold.

These ripened sweet fruits are just about ready to be plucked off and sink ones teeth into. But since I have so many…well why not bake with them! Right?

Chocolate and Pear Crostata

About Crostata

A crostata is essentially a rustic baked tart with a short crust pastry base. Its basically free-form and in my opinion far easier to make then a 2 crust pie.

This crostata is so outrageously good, it will take a lot of restraint not to devour the whole tart. It is made with a pastry crust much like shortbread and with a silky rich chocolate filling.

Part of the appeal of this crostata are the juicy pear halves which are sliced and nestled over the chocolate filling. They provide such an elegant appearance and are sure to garner many compliments.

But really, feel free here to add your own artistic flare and fan out the slices which ever way you wish!

Chocolate and Pear Crostata

Although you may use a mixer to make the pastry dough, I much prefer using my food processor. The dough comes together with such ease rendering it soft and pliable and making it very easy to pat down both over and around the tart tin.

Chocolate and Pear Crostata

I tried this crostata once using almonds and another time using walnuts. I must say, my husband and I both prefer the walnuts, but they are easily interchangeable. Whichever nuts you choose, this recipe is a real keeper!

Chocolate and Pear Crostata

As with all fabulous desserts, do savour every single bite accompanied by a very good espresso of course!

 

Chocolate and Pear Crostata
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Chocolate and Pear Crostata

Chocolate and Pear Crostata with a silky smooth filling of finely ground walnuts and dark chocolate makes a rustic, elegant dessert.

Course Dessert
Cuisine Italian
Keyword Chocolate Pear Crostata Recipe
Servings 8
Author Marisa

Ingredients

For the Pastry

  • 3/4 cup or 12 tablespoons butter cubed
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2 cups all purpose flour

For the Chocolate Filling

  • 14 tablespoons butter cubed
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs beaten
  • 1 1/3 cups walnuts, lightly toasted finely ground
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 3 1/2 ounces dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate, melted I used 70% dark chocolate
  • 4 ripe firm pears
  • powdered sugar for dusting
  • 9 inch round tart tin with removable base

Instructions

Making the Pastry

  1. Place the butter and sugar together in a food processor and blend until smooth.

  2. Add in the egg yolk and blend again until it is thoroughly mixed.

  3. Next, add in the flour and pulse intermittently until the dough is smooth and not sticky.

  4. Divide the dough in half and freeze one half for later use. A half portion of this dough is enough to line a 9 inch baking tin. 

  5. Line the greased tart tin with the dough by patting it down in the tart tin while spreading it out with your fingers.

  6. Chill for at least 30 minutes.

For the Filling

  1. Beat together the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy.

  2. Add in the eggs, ground walnuts, flour and beat until smooth.

  3. Stir in the melted chocolate.

  4. Spoon the mixture over the pastry and smooth it gently with a pastry knife.

  5. Peel the pears and cut them in half length-wise.

  6. Remove the cores and slice each half length-wise into thin slices.

  7. While keeping each of the sliced halves together, place them over the chocolate filling. (As seen in the photo)

    Chocolate and Pear Crostata

  8. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F, for about 45 minutes or until the walnut mixture is firm and the pastry is golden brown.

  9. Transfer to a wire rack to cool then dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

Recipe Notes

You will only need half of the pastry dough to make a 9 inch crostata. The remaining half can be frozen for later use. However, if your tart tin is 10 inches round do use the whole amount of pastry dough. I've done so successfully without changing the amount of filling.

Recipe is adapted from a favourite cookbook, Cafe Italia Cookbook and only switching almonds for the walnuts as a personal preference. 

 

Italian Biscotti Regina Recipe

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An Italian Biscotti Regina Recipe fit for a queen or even a princess. They’re an extremely popular Sicilian cookie with a distinctive sesame seed crust. Made with olive oil, perfumed with both orange blossom water and the zest of an orange. These cookies are not overly sweet and truly irresistible.

Italian Biscotti Regina Recipe

Biscotti Regina easily translates to Queen’s cookies and is a classic Sicilian cookie.

There is some speculation that these Biscotti Regina were named after Queen Margherita di Savoia. She was the much beloved queen of Italy and wife to King Umberto I. Another more popular and well known food named after Italy’s favorite queen is pizza Margherita favoring the colors of the Italian Flag. Red, white and green representing tomatoes, mozzarella and basil.

Really though, you don’t have to be a queen to enjoy these yummy cookies!

Italian Biscotti Regina Recipe

More on these irresistible cookies!

These cookies came about after a dear reader inquired about them.

Although they can be made with butter, shortening or olive oil, I settled on the latter after testing them with butter.

I love the depth of flavor olive oil lends to these cookies and its truly a wonderful alternative to butter.

Also I added orange zest and some orange blossom water for extra flavor but do go easy on blossom water. Otherwise, they will turn out tasting like a floral bouquet!

Italian Biscotti Regina Recipe

They’re simple to make and if you have little ones who love to help in the kitchen then they’ll get a kick out of rolling the cookies in the sesame seeds.

There are a couple of ways to shape these cookies.  One is to keep them in a log shape after rolling and cutting the pieces. But if like me and you prefer a more oval or rounder shape then simply roll the cut pieces into balls.

Then dip into the beaten egg whites and finally roll in the sesame seeds. Just before they’re ready for the oven I press them down a little then I cup the 2 sides together with the palm of my hands. This presses them back up a little while forming an oval shape.

Alternately, you can dip them in milk and then roll in the sesame seeds if you wish. But I find that the sesame seeds adhere better to the egg whites and render crispier outer layers.

It’s all a matter of preference I guess!

Italian Biscotti Regina Recipe

They bake up into these pretty shapes with a lovely crackle top lending a little peek into its textured outer layers.

They’re a crumbly cookie and slightly drier in texture with a tender bite. Perfectly dunkable in a steaming cup of coffee or tea!

These cookies keep extremely well in an airtight container for at least a week if not a bit longer. I wasn’t able to test their freshness beyond that because they disappeared quickly at my house.

But you’ll be happy to know that they also freeze well too. Perfect for make ahead desserts!

Italian Biscotti Regina Recipe

Add some love in your kitchen with these yummy morsels and feel like a queen for the day!

If you make this recipe remember to tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!

Italian Biscotti Regina Recipe
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Italian Biscotti Regina Recipe

A very popular Sicilian cookie with a distinctive sesame seed crust. Made with olive oil, scented with both orange blossom water and orange zest. These cookies are truly irresistible.

Course Dessert
Cuisine Italian
Keyword Biscotti Regina
Servings 40
Author Marisa

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon orange blossom water
  • 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 1/2 cups raw sesame seeds
  • 2 eggwhites from 2 large eggs

Instructions

  1. In a large mixing bowl stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

  2. Add in the olive oil and mix with an electric mixer just until a fine sandy texture is achieved.

  3. Mix in the eggs, vanilla extract, orange blossom water, orange zest and honey until well incorporated.

  4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

  5. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

  6. In a small bowl beat the egg whites with 2 tablespoons of water using a fork and set aside till ready to dip the cookies.

  7. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions and place on a lightly floured work surface.

  8. Working with one portion of dough at a time, on a lightly floured surface, roll into a log of 1 inch wide in diameter and 10 inches long.

  9. Cut the rolled dough into 5 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball. It will be approximately the size of a walnut in its shell. Set aside and repeat with the remaining logs.

  10. When all your balls are shaped, use a fork to dip one cookie at a time first into the beaten egg white mixture and then roll in the sesame seeds while turning to coat all over.

  11. Transfer each cookie to the prepared sheet pans. Press down slightly on each cookie and the tuck the edges back up using the palm of your hands to form oval shapes. 

  12. I was able to fit 20 cookies on each baking pan. They don't spread much but will puff up.

  13. Bake for about 18 to 20 minutes or till golden brown.

  14. Allow to cool on a wire rack and enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea.

  15. These cookies keep extremely well in an air tight container for at least a week. I haven't tested them past that one week because they're simply too yummy to have lasted any longer.

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