Marroni

Every Christmas, I do a load of baking. One of my specialties is a cookie I like to call marroni (chestnut cookies). This is the third recipe in my series of gluten-free and dairy-free nut cookies. (To view my previous recipe for amaretti, click here and to view my recipe for pecan pie cookies, click here.)

Chestnut flour can now be readily found in specialty supermarkets and in bulk food stores. It imparts a wonderful flavour, reminding me of winter time.

For this recipe you will need 1 cup of chestnut flour, 1 cup blanched ground almonds and 1 cup of white sugar.

 

Mix the dry ingredients together.

For the wet ingredients, you will need to start with the whites of four eggs (8 tablespoons of egg whites). I said "start", because the chestnut flour can be a little temperamental, depending on its moisture content.

 
Whip the whites to stiff peaks.

At this point, blend in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Add the vanilla egg whites to the dry ingredients.

Fold in the egg whites to form a dough. If a dough cannot be formed, because the ingredients are too dry, feel free to add more whipped egg whites. (I have, on some occasions, used up to six egg whites or 12 tablespoons of egg whites.)

Drop teaspoon sized balls onto a greased, aluminum foil-lined baking tray. Be sure to leave approximately 1 inch of space between each cookie.

I liked to top each cookie with a slivered almond.

Bake the cookies in a 350°F oven for approximately 15 minutes. Be sure to let them cool prior to removing them from the baking sheet.

These cookies have a dense, chewy texture. They can be easily made ahead of time and frozen. Marroni are always a hit during the holidays!