Almond Cakes (Ricciarelli)

Bring water to a boil, then add the almonds and let them simmer for 30 seconds

Drain, peel, and dry them in a low oven (150°F) without browning

Pulse 1/3 of the almonds with 1/4 cup of confectioner's sugar in a blender until well combined and sifted

Repeat the process until all the almonds are used up

In the end, sift any remaining mixture through a fine-mesh sieve with the rest of the confectioner's sugar

This should yield a flour-like consistency similar to granulated rice

Mix in 100 g of confectioner's sugar

Beat the egg white until it becomes slightly frothy and add the vanilla extract, almond extract, and almonds

Mix well but do not overmix

The mixture should still be slightly crumbly but hold its shape when formed into balls

Sift the mixture 4 or 5 times to remove any air pockets

Dust a surface with a little confectioner's sugar reserved

Divide the mixture evenly into 25 portions and shape each one into a rectangle about 4 x 9 cm

Place the rectangles onto an ungreased baking sheet and let them dry at room temperature for 24 hours

Bake in a very low oven (120°F) until they are completely dry, but not too dark or browned

Remove from the oven and, once cool, dust with the remaining confectioner's sugar using a fine-mesh sieve

The cakes should be well coated

If the confectioner's sugar is insufficient, add more.