Amaretti cookies

Ingredients:
Cookies:

• 2 cups California almonds, whole natural
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 5 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 30 cherries, dried, whole

Icing:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 6 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/8 cup sage, minced, for garnish

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325F.

Using a blender or food processor, grind almonds and sugar together until mixture looks like coarse grits. Set aside.

With an electric mixer, whip egg whites and vanilla stiff peaks form. Gently fold the almond and sugar mixture into the egg whites until fully incorporated.

Transfer mixture to a pastry bag with large, round tip. On a parchment-lined greased baking sheet, apply cookies in 1-inch rounds roughly 3/4-inch apart. Press a whole dried cherry into the center of each cookie.

Place cookies in middle rack of oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. until golden brown. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack.

For icing, whisk together powdered sugar and cream until smooth. When cooled, drizzle icing over each cookie followed by a sprinkling of the sage.

Yield: 30 cookies

Courtesy of Family Features