Ricciarelli

Ricciarelli are traditional Tuscan sweets, particularly from Siena, with an oval shape characterized by a crunchy surface and a soft, almond-flavored interior.

Ingredients

• 250 g almond flour
• 250 g powdered sugar, plus more for dusting
• 2 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon honey
• Essence (or grated zest) of one orange
• A few drops of bitter almond essence
• Granulated sugar as needed for coating
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• A pinch of salt

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, mix together the almond flour and 200 g of powdered sugar.
2. In another bowl, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks with a pinch of salt.
3. Add the honey and continue beating, then gradually incorporate the remaining powdered sugar into the beaten whites, mixing gently to avoid deflating the mixture.
4. Slowly pour the egg white mixture over the dry ingredients (almonds and sugar), add the orange essence or zest and the bitter almond essence, then combine everything until a homogeneous dough forms.
5. Prepare a baking tray lined with parchment paper and sprinkle some granulated sugar on top.
6. Take pieces of the dough and form balls, then flatten them slightly into the typical irregular oval shape of Ricciarelli.
7. Coat the cookies first in cornstarch and then in granulated sugar, then place them on the prepared tray leaving space between each one.
8. Let the Ricciarelli rest for about 12 hours at room temperature: this step is important to form the characteristic crust on the outside.
9. Preheat the oven to 140 °C and bake the Ricciarelli for 12-15 minutes until lightly golden but still soft inside.
10. Remove from the oven and let them cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar.

Trivia

It is said that Ricciarelli have Arab origins and were brought to Tuscany during the Middle Ages through the port of Pisa. The name “Ricciarello” seems to derive from “riz,” which in Arabic means “rice,” perhaps due to the similarity of the sweet’s shape to an elongated grain of rice.