Italian Almond Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 egg whites
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Zest from half an orange
• 240 g almond flour
• 35 g 00 flour
• 190 g icing sugar, plus more for dusting
• ½ teaspoon baking powder

Directions

1. Place the egg whites, almond extract, vanilla extract, and orange zest in a bowl and whisk vigorously until foamy.
2. Whisk the almond flour, 00 flour, icing sugar, and baking powder together in a separate bowl until evenly combined.
3. Gradually add the flour mixture to the egg white mixture and mix with a spoon until a soft dough forms.
4. Shape the dough into a flattened ball with your hands, wrap it in plastic wrap, and chill it for 12 hours.
5. Preheat the oven to 160°C.
6. Unwrap the dough and place it on a work surface dusted with about ¼ cup icing sugar.
7. Roll the dough into a narrow log with your hands, making sure to completely coat the outside of the log with icing sugar as you roll. Make sure the whole log is the same width, the ends are flat, and the seam on the bottom disappears.
8. Slice the log into 10 cm wide rounds.
9. Shape each round into a modified diamond shape with two pointed ends but curved sides.
10. Place the cookies on a greased or parchment paper-lined baking sheet and dust them with icing sugar.
11. Bake for 12-15 minutes. They will be done when cracks start to appear. The cookies should not brown.
12. Remove the pan from the oven and let the cookies cool completely before serving. The cookies will be very soft. Do not touch them before they are cool so they firm up and do not break.