Chocolate and almond pasticcini

Name: Chocolate and almond pasticcini
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 18
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 200g blanched almonds; 100g caster sugar; 80g chocolate (70 per cent cocoa), roughly chopped, plus extra for decorating; 1 tsp instant coffee; pinch of salt; 2 egg whites; zest of half a lemon; icing sugar, for coating

Julia Busuttil Nishimura

October 13, 2023

These chocolate and almond bikkies are soft and chewy.William Meppem

easyTime:< 30 minsMakes:18

Soft and chewy almond pasticcini are well loved – and with good reason. They’re incredibly moreish and simple to make. They’re also gluten free and a great way to use up egg whites.

While often made using just almonds, I’ve added some dark chocolate, coffee and a little lemon. Topped with a piece of chocolate, they’re the perfect afternoon treat.

The baking time determines the chewiness of the biscuit. For me, 12-13 minutes is the sweet spot (chewy but with a little bite). Reduce by a few minutes for a softer texture or increase by a few minutes for a firmer biscuit.

Ingredients

200g blanched almonds
100g caster sugar
80g chocolate (70 per cent cocoa), roughly chopped, plus extra for decorating
1 tsp instant coffee
pinch of salt
2 egg whites
zest of half a lemon
icing sugar, for coating

Method

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 170C fan-forced (190C conventional). Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Step 2
In the bowl of a food processor, place the almonds, sugar, chocolate, coffee and salt. Blitz to a fine texture that’s slightly coarser than almond meal. Set aside once blitzed.
Step 3
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until foamy. There is no need to whisk to soft peaks. Add the nut mixture along with the lemon zest directly to the egg whites and mix with a wooden spoon until damp and a dough has formed.
Step 4
Dust your hands in icing sugar and roll tablespoons of dough into balls (about 25g each) before coating them in icing sugar. Transfer to the baking tray.
Step 5
Press a small piece of chocolate into the top of each ball, slightly flattening them as you do. Place the tray in the oven and bake for 12-13 minutes.
Step 6
Remove tray and allow biscuits to cool. Then store in an airtight container where they will keep for up to one week.