How to make amaretti

Amaretti (Italian almond biscuits) are shared at celebrations including weddings or birthdays but they can also be enjoyed with a coffee. Harrington Park’s Sarina Ripepi shares her recipe here:

Amaretti (Italian almond biscuits) also make tasty treats to give as gifts.

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AMARETTI (ITALIAN ALMOND BISCUITS)

INGREDIENTS: 2 cups of almond meal (using blanched almonds), 1 ¾ cups of icing sugar mixture, 2 egg whites, ¼ cup of glazed cherries cut in half, ¼ cup of water at room temperature, 2 teaspoons of caster sugar.

METHOD: Preheat oven to 150 degrees Celcius fan forced.

Combine almond meal and sifted icing sugar in a bowl before stirring in egg whites.

Spoon mixture into a piping bag fitted with a large fluted tube.

Pipe shells 4cm in length and 2.5cm in width, making sure each is 3cm apart on the oven tray which has been lined with baking paper.

Put a halved glazed cherry on each biscuit for decoration.

Place the trays in the pre-heated oven and baked for 12 minutes or until slightly golden in colour.

Sarina Ripepi makes the biscuits in 14 different flavours including salted caramel and espresso.

Mrs Ripepi said the biscuits were easy to make and delicious.

Combine caster sugar and water in a saucepan on a medium heat until the caster sugar has dissolved.

Bring to the boil and simmer uncovered for two minutes.

Brush the sugar syrup mixture over the baked almond biscuits and let the biscuits dry before eating or storing.

The recipe will make about 30 biscuits.

The almond biscuits can be stored for up to three months in an airtight container.

WHEN Italians celebrate, amaretti (almond biscuits) are a traditional and important part of the festivities.

The delicious biscuits are offered to guests at weddings, birthday and engagement parties and other special gatherings.

Harrington Park resident Sarina Ripepi said the treats were also a tasty gift for someone special.

“This particular recipe I found back in my searches of making an almond biscuit for my beautiful belated mother-in-law Frances Ripepi,’’ Mrs Ripepi said.

Bake the amaretti for 12 minutes or until slightly golden in colour.

“It was a combination of love and inspiration that changed my life and in honour of my mother-in-law I created my business Amoretti Dolce, biscuits made with love.’’

Mrs Ripepi said the biscuits were popular with her friends and family members.

“Their honesty with criticism of the recipe has opened the creative side of my baking,’’ she said.

“I now make 14 different flavours such as salted caramel, espresso, pistachio, lemon, orange and strawberry to name a few.’’

Mrs Ripepi said the almond biscuits recipe was not a difficult one to learn.

“Once you have the ingredients in front of you, it’s basically mixing them together and baking,’’ she said.

“If you feel the almond batter is a little dry, add one more egg white to the mixture.’’