These are good to serve with coffee or tea.

　　

Ingredients

makes about 20 macaroons

　　4 cups ground almonds

　　3/4 cup superfine sugar

　　Grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon

　　2 to 3 drops almond essence

　　1 large egg white

　　Confectioners’ sugar

　　

Step 1

Put all the ingredients except the confectioners’ sugar in the food processor and blend into a soft, malleable paste.

　　

Step 2

Put some confectioners’ sugar on a small plate. Rub your hands with oil so that the almond paste does not stick to your hands. Take lumps of the paste the size of a large walnut and roll into balls. Now press one side of each ball into the confectioners’ sugar, flattening it a little, and place it on a buttered baking sheet, sugared side up. Bake in an oven preheated to 400°F for 15 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Let the macaroons cool before lifting them off the sheet. They will be lightly colored and crackled and soft inside.

　　Arabesque