I don't want to get too heavy on you, though I have to admit, this is an intense week. One of my favorite people on this planet is getting ready for a really tough surgery. Maybe it's my coping mechanisms kicking in... but I needed to bake some cookies. Crispy, chewy cookies. Comforting, easy cookies. In fact, you may not even have to go to the store to buy ingredients for these little guys, because they are made with just a few simple pantry ingredients.
Cookie-making highlights....
Getting to stay in my pajamas while I cooked.
The smell of the almond extract when I whisk the egg whites.
AMARETTI adapted from Patricia Well's Tratoria
(printable recipe)
- 1/3 cup egg whites (whites from 2-3 eggs) - warmed to room temperature
- 3/4 cups finely ground blanched almonds
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Preheat oven to 350.
If you are pulling your eggs from the fridge, you can quickly bring them to room temperature by submerging them in a bowl of warm water.
In a medium bowl, mix ground almonds and sugar.
In another bowl, whisk egg whites and almond extract. Doesn't that smell good!
Pour whisked egg into the bowl with the almonds and sugar, stir, and you'll have a sticky batter that's ready to bake.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop 1/2 teaspoon dollops of batter on to the parchment paper. Leave plenty of room around each cookie so they can spread. Wells suggests baking only 12 cookies on a sheet, and that worked well for me.
Bake for 11-15 minutes. The cookies are done when the outsides are golden brown and the middle is a little firm. Remove from the oven and place cookies (while still on the parchment) onto a cooling rack. The cookies will crisp up quickly and be ready to eat.
Boy, were those easy and good. I'm satisfied now.
Makes 3 dozen cookies. These should keep up to 10 days in an airtight container.
The perfect duo! I really love your stove-oven. The kind I dream of having.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Rosa
Thanks Rosa! Yep, you can never go wrong with tea and cookies. I do love my cute stove, too. I was lucky to inherit it:)
ReplyDelete-E
I hope your favorite people's surgery went well and he/she will recover smoothly!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures Erin. I love tea and cookies. These looks so decadent and good. I'm digging the simple ingredients.
I second Rosa: your oven is so pretty!!!!
Holy crap yeah, you're lucky! What a beaut of a stove!
ReplyDeleteWhat is your tea of choice on a gray and rainy day?
My best wishes for as good a week as possible, without any extra complications.
Jenn, Thanks for the well wishes. Her surgery is Friday and I am hopeful. And my stove is smiling at the compliment!
ReplyDeleteEmma, I am lucky to have that stove, she is pretty and works quite nicely;) I never get sick of Earl Grey. And the bergamot was really nice with the amaretti. And thanks for the well wishes - they mean a lot.
-E
The steps and process with making cookies is so comforting. I love it. Your pictures are always soooo beautiful. And that stove is AMAZING!! Hope everything turns out okay.
ReplyDeleteCookies and comfort. Check. I sure do hope everything will be o.k. for your friend. One thing is for sure, you will have lifted someone's spirits.
ReplyDeleteNothing like tea and cookies on a lazy day. Love your oven :)
ReplyDeleteFirst of all: tea and cookies are two of my favorite things of all time. What better way to find a bit of comfort in a time of stress?
ReplyDeleteSecondly: Your stove is fabulous! Absolutely beautiful
Adrianna, cookie making is so comforting and cozy ;) ... perfect medicine. Who need retail therapy?
ReplyDeleteSarah, I hope she is okay too. Thanks for the kindness.
Ali, Thanks:)
Stephanie, tea and cookies... can't go to wrong, can you?
Thanks all. So good to hear from you:) Makes my day.
-E
Nothing soothes my soul more than cooking. Cooking is even better than eating to calm an anxious mind. Maybe it's because the task at hand forces all the worry out of my head. In any case, it works for me.
ReplyDeleteI'll be thinking of you this week. Best wishes.
I hope everything is going well with your friend. Those times can be so stressful and nothing like some tea and cookies to calm your nerves. That's why I love comin here! Take care and have a nice week.
ReplyDeleteJamie
Love that retro, cool stove. I know what you mean about the comforting power of homemade cookies. It just tells someone you love them in the most simple, sweetest way. I hope the surgery goes A-OK.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in German tradition where "Kaffee und Kuchen" were a a daily tradition for an afternoon break - having married an Englishman tea has become the remedy for all woes and aliments. So on goes the beauty of cozy traditions. Your cookies look to be a lovely new addition to our newly gluten free household. I am looking forward to making them.
ReplyDeleteWishing your friend an easy and quick recovery.
e,
ReplyDeletethinking of you and your beloved. as always, loving the posts and pics.
xoxoxox, renee
Jess, You are so right about cooking calming the anxious mind. Following simple directions that leads to a tasty treat is really soothing:)
ReplyDeleteJamie, thanks for the well-wishes!
Carolyn, I'm really hopeful for a good outcome on the surgery too.
Anon - So true about the coffee/tea and sweets as a ritual in so many traditions across the globe. Here's to cozy rituals! Thank you.
Renee, So nice to hear from you! I keep thinking of you guys and hoping the move is treating you all well. When are you coming back for a visit? xxxooo
All the good thoughts for my loved one are so so appreciated!!!!!
I find tea and cookies very comforting myself...
ReplyDeleteI hope all goes well for your friend :)
and have to mention how much I adore your stove...so gorgeous!
Just found your blog and I LOVE it!! Your photos are GORGEOUS!! What kind of gear/lens do you use? I am looking into a 100mm fixed macro but can't decide. Would love to hear your thoughts!!
ReplyDeletexo
Good luck to your friend.
ReplyDeleteThat stove, with the griddle in the middle is the same kind I had when my children were growing up. So beautiful and such good memories of cooking with my kids.
Thinking of you and hope it all goes well. Am so in love with your stove right now xox
ReplyDeleteThanks M! Both my loved-one and my stove are getting so much love! Makes me smile.
ReplyDeleteLinda, Thanks for the nice note. I do usually use a 100m macro fixed and a 50mm 1.4 on a full-frame camera. I love the 100 macro for the incredible detail and the 50 for the pretty depth of field. I love talking about photography - so much fun - please let me know if you have any other questions:)
Ustabahippie, Always nice to hear from you! Your comment made me think of how many pancakes and cookies have been made on/in our stove in the past decade. Cooking with my kids makes me so happy too. And there's something particularly sentimental about such an old cutie like this model, isn't there?
Nessie, Thank you for the well-wishes and the stove-love!
-Erin
Love, love, love the simple ingredients. To have fresh warm cookies is such a treat. Awesome pictures and yes, I too love the oven. It reminds me of grandmas oven. My sister lives in L.A. and she has a similar oven that she LOVES. She has re-done her kitchen but the oven/stove had to stay....incredible meals come out of them and them temperature is usually right on the dot.. right?
ReplyDeleteHi Erin!
ReplyDeleteI know how it goes. When your head and your heart are in another place, it's really hard to concentrate. Easy becomes the order of the day. Fingers crossed for an uneventful surgery and recovery for your special person and sending positive thoughts for you too!
Very cool cooking vessel you have there!
I love you, Sweets. We're focusing all our clean and healthy energy your way right now.
ReplyDeletei love what your P wrote to you above. i send SO MUCH LOVE your way. and breath. can't wait to feed you! i would imagine about now you need someone to take care of you. we're here!
ReplyDeletei love photos of whisks. and yours is spectacular.
Oli, I do love my cute stove, especially that it heats up nice and quick. So fun to hear about your family memories of old time stoves too:)
ReplyDeleteLori, P, and Phyllis - thanks you guys! All went well with the surgery. Thank goodness. Now onto the recovery!
-E
Cookies and tea make a lovely morning treat! And, I love the smell of almond extract.
ReplyDeleteLove what a simple recipe this is! I was just thinking about making cookies (must be the weather...). These look like the ones! (A bit healthier than my fav almond biscotti and a similar flavor, maybe?)
ReplyDeleteI know it's been said...but your stove is INCREDIBLE. I've always wondered with those older stoves -- how do they bake? Is the temperature reliable? Definitely seems from your blog that it's not a problem...but you were also pretty masterful with that Bali contraption!
Lisa, that almond extract smell is heavenly for me too!
ReplyDeleteAllison, I think you'll really enjoy the almondy taste of these cookies. And they couldn't be much easier! You are so cute to remember my hilarious Bali oven. Must say, my old timer stove in Berkeley is much more reliable;) Sometimes I do have issues with temp calibration ( but I think that's true of most ovens.) Otherwise the thing works like a charm - plenty of power on the stove top and the oven heats up really quickly.
-E
cookies with no butter! These are looking so lovely and your blog is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI have to try these sometimes.
Kankana,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the nice words. I guess all that yummy fat from the almonds does the trick! I do LOVE butter anytime, but I didn't miss it at all in these cookies.
-E
These look so pretty and delicate. I'm imagining the delicious smell of almond. Yum!
ReplyDeleteFirst, I hope your friend's surgery went smoothly. Second, these cookies look and sound amazing! Third, love your stove! Have a wonderful weekend.
ReplyDeleteAngela, yes that smell of almond is magic for me:)
ReplyDeleteLisa, Thanks for the kind wishes about the surgery. It's an intense time these days and well-wishes are so appreciated.
-E
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI just made these and they came out in funny kinds of shapes. Any advice?
-Gabrielle
Hmmm... Gabrielle. I'm wondering if your egg was at room temp when you made the batter? A cold egg can do funky stuff;(
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