Ricciarelli
Soft almond biscuits
Ricciarelli: Siena's soft almond biscuits dusted with icing sugar
Siena has been making ricciarelli since the Renaissance: soft, chewy almond biscuits in the shape of a diamond or a curved eye, with a crackled top covered in icing sugar. Sienese families buy them from the historic pasticcerie near the Campo at Christmas and serve them with a glass of Vin Santo after dinner, but they are eaten all winter with coffee. This recipe is naturally gluten free. Chef's tip: let the shaped biscuits dry at room temperature overnight before baking; a dry crust cracks beautifully in the oven while the inside stays soft.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 20
Ingredients
- 9 oz ground almondsblanched
- 7 oz caster sugar
- 2 ⅞ oz icing sugarfor coating and dusting
- 1 orangezest only
- ½ tsp almond extract
- ½ tsp baking powdergluten free
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Mix 9 oz ground almonds, 7 oz caster sugar, ½ tsp baking powder and the zest of 1 orange.
Step 2: Whisk 2 egg whites to soft peaks and fold them into the almond mixture with ½ tsp almond extract to make a soft, sticky paste.
Step 3: Spread half of 2 ⅞ oz icing sugar on a board. Roll the paste into a log 4 cm thick in the sugar, cut into 1.5 cm slices and shape each into a diamond with your fingers. Common mistake: making them too thin; they dry out and go hard.
Step 4: Put on a tray lined with baking paper, dust with the rest of the icing sugar and leave uncovered overnight to dry.
Step 5: Heat the oven to 300°F (275°F fan) and bake for 12–15 minutes, until the tops have cracked but are still pale. They will feel soft but firm up as they cool.
15 minStep 6: Cool on the tray. They keep in a tin for 2 weeks.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 120 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 13 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ricciarelli take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 20 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of ground almonds?
- Ground cashews, same amount.
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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Perfect for:Christmas