Kitchen Recipe Collection
Italian Ricciarelli
Siena's famous aristocratic cookie. A soft, intensely chewy, diamond-shaped almond paste cookie, heavily scented with orange zest and dusted with powdered sugar.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 1475 min
- Servings
- 15
- Difficulty
- medium
- Cuisine
- italian
Ingredients
Scaled for 15 servings
- blanched almond flour
- granulated sugar
- powdered sugar
- egg whites
- bitter almond extract (or a few bitter almonds)
- orange zest (grated)
- vanilla extract
- rice paper (ostia, optional)
Equipment
- Electric mixer
- Baking sheet
Instructions
- 1
Mix Almond Paste
In a bowl, mix the almond flour, granulated sugar, orange zest, and a little powdered sugar.
- 2
Whip Whites
In a separate bowl, lightly whip the egg whites with the bitter almond and vanilla extracts just until frothy (not to peaks).
- 3
Form Dough
Add the frothy whites to the almond mixture. Knead briefly until a sticky, cohesive paste forms.
- 4
Crucial Rest
Cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 12-24 hours. This hydrates the almonds and develops the flavor.
- 5
Shape
Dust your hands and counter heavily with powdered sugar. Roll the dough into a log and cut off small pieces.
- 6
Form Diamonds
Shape each piece into an oval, then pinch the ends slightly to form a rough diamond (lozenge) shape. They should be about 1/2 inch thick.
- 7
Coat in Sugar
Toss each cookie generously in a bowl of powdered sugar so they are completely coated.
- 8
Prepare Pan
Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet (traditionally, they are baked on small pieces of edible rice paper/ostia).
- 9
Bake
Bake at 300°F (150°C) for 15-18 minutes. The surface should crack, but they should NOT brown. They will feel very soft.
- 10
Cool
Let them cool completely on the tray before moving them, or they will break. They will firm up as they cool.
Cooking Tips
- The 24-hour resting period is the secret to the chewy interior and crisp, cracked exterior.
- Bitter almond extract provides the signature marzipan-like flavor. Standard almond extract is much weaker.
Variations
- Ricciarelli al Cioccolato: A modern variation adding cocoa powder to the dough.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- The first Italian dessert to receive IGP (Protected Geographical Indication) status.
Nutrition Estimate
130 calories · 3g protein · 15g carbs · 7g fat · 1g fiber per serving
