Authentic Chocolate Amaretti Cookies

By zircon50

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole almonds
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 2 egg whites (I actually used the egg whites in the small carton they worked great!)
• 1 teaspoon Amaretto plus 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 pinch cream of tartar
• powdered sugar to sprinkle on top

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place the almonds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. They should be golden brown.

Place in the food processor with 1/4 cup of sugar and pulse till fine. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees.

Pour them into a bowl and stir in the cocoa powder and confectioner's sugar. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl beat the 2 egg whites and cream of tartar with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Sprinkle in the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar beating well.

Continue mixing until the whites are glossy and stiff.

Beat in flavorings. Add the almond nut sugar mixture by gently folding into the beaten egg whites just until blended.

Spoon the mixture into a large pastry piping bag fitted with a plain 1/2 inch nozzle. Pipe 1 1/2 inch rounds about one inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake cookies for 12 to 15 minutes or until they are crisp. Cool then completely lift off the parchment paper. Sprinkle with powdered sugar