Cocoa and almonds cookies for a favorite cake

Cookies can be a great addition to cake or torte recipes. Regularly used to make tart and pie crusts they can also be used as a substitute to flours in many cake recipes. In this cake I added grounded homemade amarettis to the cake dough and reduced the amount of almonds and . The cake has a kind of financier style however, instead of using egg whites only I used whole eggs. The result is a light, crunchy and very nutty and aromatic cake that tastes better if eaten on the same day.



Cocoa and amarettis teacakes
(250 ml cup)

100 grams butter
1/4 cup of grounded almonds
1/4 cup grounded chocolate amaretti (12 cookies)
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
3 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

How:

How:

Butter twelve small muffin cups or tartelette molds and set aside. In a small pan melt butter let it cook until golden brown (beurre-noisette), keep you eye on the butter until it is cooked as it can burn very easily and you will have to start again. Once it smell nutty and has a beautiful golden color remove it from heat and set aside.

In a food processor ground the almond with the amarettis, cocoa powder, flour and sugar. Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl. In a large bowl whisk the eggs using a whisk (fouet) until foamy. Add the flour mixture, in batches, until well incorporated. If using vanilla extract add the vanilla extract and mix. Finally add the butter while it is still warm and mix to incorporate it into the batter completely. Divide the batter in the prepared pans. Bake the cake in a hot oven, at 180C/300F, for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Sprinkle some confectioners sugar on top of cakes before serving.

Makes 12 cakes.



Chocolate Amaretti

1 cup grounded almond
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 large egg whites
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon of Disaronno almond liquor or natural almond extract
pinch of salt
Sugar to roll the cookies


Preheat the oven at 180C/350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and set aside. In a food processor ground the almonds with confectioners sugar and the cocoa powder. Whisk the egg whites with salt until foamy, add two tablespoons of sugar and whisk until soft peaks form. Add liquor. Add flour mixture to egg whites mixture and stir until incorporated. With a teaspoon spoon small amounts on the prepared sheets, sprinkle crystal sugar over the cookies. Bake for 15 minutes.

Makes approximately 60 cookies