The soft amaretti Calabrian recipe are cookies with an intense sweet and bitter almond flavor, featuring a slightly cracked crust outside and a soft interior.
These sweets are available all year round in every pastry shop here in the south.
When I was little, I used to eat these sweets when someone got married, and still today, as tradition, newlyweds give a gift pack where, in addition to sugared almonds and almond pastries, there are also amaretti.
I’ve always bought amaretti, but I’ve been wanting to make them myself for a long time until one day my friend Mara suggested this recipe, and here I made it, slightly adjusting and personalizing the amounts.
Unlike all the recipes I have read on the web that use only egg whites, this one also uses the yolk.
The result, as you can see from the photo, is truly delicious, and they are just as good as the ones from the pastry shop.
If you want to try it, follow the recipe carefully and write to me for any questions!
As we approach Christmas, it’s the perfect occasion to make them as a gift package; they are also perfect for those who are gluten and lactose intolerant.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 35 pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients for the soft amaretti Calabrian recipe
- 2 1/8 cups Almonds with skin
- 10 bitter almonds (or 10 drops of almond extract)
- 3/4 cup Sugar
- 2 medium eggs
- to taste Powdered sugar
Tools
- 1 Food processor
- 2 Bowls
- 1 Small bowl
- 1 Baking sheet
- 1 Parchment paper
- 1 Oven
Preparation for the soft amaretti Calabrian recipe
Blend the almonds with skin, including the bitter ones, together with the sugar until you get a floury mixture.
I used the Bimby at turbo speed for about 15 sec. then pour it into a bowl.
You can use another food processor!
Separate the yolks from the whites, beat the latter well with a fork until they become frothy; they don’t have to be stiff, but quite liquid.
Beat the yolks with the fork as well, for 1 minute.
Pour the egg whites into the powdered almonds, also add the yolks; if you haven’t used bitter almonds, add the drops of almond extract.
Mix and blend the dough well, which should be soft and a bit sticky; if it’s too runny, add more almond flour (ground almonds) or powdered sugar, but not much; if needed, let the dough rest in the fridge to firm it up.
Once you have a homogeneous mixture, wet your hands and form many balls about the size of a walnut, roll them in powdered sugar.
Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spaced apart, without flattening them.
Now let the balls firm up and rest for about 1 hour in the fridge, adjust according to the size of the baking pan to be used.Take the baking sheet out of the fridge, place the pan in the middle of the oven already preheated, and bake the amaretti at 356°F (180°C) using the fan setting for about 12 minutes, no more, otherwise they become hard.
Do not touch them right after baking; they will be very soft but will become firm once cooled.
Let them cool completely before serving.For other Calabrian sweets click here
Tips and Variations
The amaretti remain soft if properly stored in an airtight tin.
If you prefer dry amaretti, extend the cooking time by another 15-20 minutes at 320°F (160°C).
