Cardamom Orange Amaretti Cookies

From Registered Dietitian Olivia Cupido. Highlights sugar's role in providing texture and shape to the cookies. 

Ingredients

2 egg whites
150g sugar, divided
½ tsp almond extract
200g almond flour
1 tsp ground cardamom 
Pinch of salt
Zest of 1 large orange
Icing sugar for dusting
 

Directions

Preheat oven to 300F and line a baking tray with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat. Place this baking tray on top of another one so they are double lined. This prevents the bottoms from browning too much and too quickly. 

Using an electric mixer, whip the egg whites to form soft peaks. With the motor running on low, sprinkle in about ¼ of the sugar. Continue whipping to form stiffer peaks. Turn the whisk attachment upside down, the egg whites should not stand straight up and stiff, but should not completely droop either. The texture of Styrofoam or splitting (where you see some liquid) means you’ve gone too far. Add the almond extract here and mix gently.

In a separate bowl, mix the almond flour, remaining sugar, cardamom, salt, and orange zest. Rub the orange zest into the flour with your fingers to expose the oils and flavour.

Add this mix to the egg whites in 2-3 additions. You do not have to be too gentle about it. The resulting batter will be quite thick.

Add 2-3 tbsp icing sugar to a flat bowl with high sides, like a pasta bowl or small baking dish.

Use a cookie scoop or two teaspoons to make equal sized cookies about 1 inch in diameter. Keep them as even as possible and roll into balls. Toss the cookie dough balls gently into icing sugar. Shake them off gently and place onto the prepared baking sheet. You will likely need to do two batches of cookies or use two baking sheets to ensure you do not overcrowd the baking trays. 

Bake for 25 minutes. The tops of the cookies should crack, the bottoms should be golden, and they should be quite delicate and soft inside. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 3-5 minutes before transferring.