Recipe
A last minute sweet treat for Easter. Lemon zest and toasted almonds give the drink an Italian twist. They will keep for two weeks in the cookie tin (that is, unless they are all eaten today).
Set the oven to 175°C/gas mark 3-4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Lightly fry 100 g. almond flakes in a shallow pan until pale golden brown, then set aside. Break 250 g. marzipan into large pieces and place them in the bowl of a food processor along with the almonds, then briefly pulse until coarse crumbs.
Add 200 g. powdered sugarthen finely grate the zest lemon and add to the bowl. Process for a few seconds to combine. Add 35 g. plain flour.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk 75 ml. egg whites (about 2 eggs) until almost firm, then stir in crumb mixture until smooth.
Take 1 heaping tablespoon of the mixture, roll it into a ball and place it on a lined baking sheet. Repeat the same with the rest of the dough.
Bake for 10-12 minutes until the cookies are spread. They should look a little unfinished. Remove from the oven and let them sit for 10 minutes before carefully transferring them to a cooling rack using a palette knife.
Makes about 20. Ready in 45 minutes.
Immediately after baking, the cookies become brittle. Let them sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before sliding a palette knife under them and lifting them onto a cooling rack.
If eaten about an hour after baking, they will become soft, crumbly, and cookie-like; after a few hours they become crispy and spongy – just right to serve with coffee or a glass of sweet, golden wine. (Dipping is a very good thing here.)
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