AMARETTI (Makes about 50)

Ingredients:

250g icing sugar, plus extra for dusting; 90g unblanched whole almonds; 10g bitter apricot kernels; ⅛tsp salt; 35g egg white (about 1 medium egg white); 1tsp vanilla bean paste; ¼tsp natural almond extract

Method:

1. Place 150g of the icing sugar in a bowl of a food processor, add almonds and apricot kernels, then blitz at high speed until the mixture is very fine and floury (about 40 seconds). Add remaining icing sugar and the salt, then blitz for a further 40 seconds. Add the egg white, vanilla and almond extract, then blitz again until the mixture comes together in a smooth, doughy mass. Turn the dough on to a clean and dry worktop, press down and fold it in half a few times. Use a scraper, as the dough will be quite sticky. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and rest it in the fridge overnight.

2. Next day, preheat the oven to 160ºc (325ºf/gas mark 3). Line a baking sheet with baking paper.

3. Take the dough out of the fridge, unwrap it (keep the clingfilm) and press and fold again for a few times. The dough should feel much firmer now. Divide into small chunks, about 7g each. Keep size consistent to ensure an even bake.

4. Roll each lump of dough into a small ball, then arrange on the lined baking sheet, leaving at least 5cm between them. Form only enough biscuits to fill one baking sheet (about 15), wrap the rest of the dough back in its clingfilm and store it in the fridge until you are ready to prepare another batch.

5. Slightly flatten the top of each ball with your thumb. Spray water on to the biscuits until their surface is completely wet: some droplets will drip down the biscuits and possibly pool on the baking paper. This will not be a problem. Quickly dust the top of the wet biscuits with a thin layer of icing sugar and immediately place the baking sheet on the middle shlef in the oven.

6. Bake for 17-18 minutes until the biscuits are a light caramel colour.

7. Remove from the oven, slide the baking paper on to a cooling rack and leave while you shape the following batch. Take the biscuits off the baking paper only when they are at room temperature.

8. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.