Name: Italian Almond Cookies
Yield: Makes about 3 dozen cookies
Ingredients: 2 1/4 cups blanched whole almonds (about 12 ounces), plus 15 for garnishing; 2/3 cup sugar; 2 large egg whites, at room temperature; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract; 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 15 glacéed cherries

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Italian Almond CookiesChris Astley; food styling: Tracey Seaman

Amaretti

According to legend, in the early 1700s, a Milanese bishop made a surprise visit to the town of Saronno in Lombardy. A young couple paid tribute to the bishop by welcoming him with their unique homemade cookies, made from crushed apricot kernels and almonds, egg whites, and sugar. The bishop so loved the cookies that he blessed the couple, and the recipe became a local favorite.

Today, bakeries throughout the region, and in Italian communities around the world, carry amaretti di Saronno, but it's worth the (small) effort to make them yourself. The recipe is simple, and fresh from the oven, they have a crisp-yet-tender texture that's beyond compare.

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