Cake is the only thing that matters

Have you read 'Hyperbole and a half'? I was identifying with the Subject on many occasions! Especially on the matter of eating the cake... and especially on the occassion when cake becomes the only thing that matters, really.

Just like the Subject, when I have a craving for cake, then it really is a CRAVING for cake! It becomes the only thing that matters and I don't have time to make some elaborate cakes because I NEED to have a cake NOW!

That is when I resort to making cookies that take less than 20min from start to finish. AMARETTI, yesss! 

Ingredients: 

• 1 egg white
• 50g of sugar
• 100g of ground almonds (almond meal)
• pinch of salt
• powdered sugar for topping 
• almond/vanilla extract (optional)
• pine nuts for topping (optional)

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, beat the egg white until it doubles in volume, it doesn't have to be firm. Add in the sugar and whisk just until combined, then fold in ground almonds carefully with a spatula. Now add in almond or vanilla extract (optional) and pinch of salt, continue to fold until combined. 
Line the cookie sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 330F. 
Make small balls with hands and place them on the parchment paper. At the end, dust them with powdered sugar. You can also cover them, i.e. roll them, with pine nuts. 
Bake for 10-15 min, or until golden brown. 
The texture of the amaretti cookie resembles that of a macaron and it is very chewy because of ground almonds and egg white. 

Kitchen notes: if you have difficulty removing the cookie from the parchment paper, wet the bottom of the paper slightly and it will peel off easily.

Bon appetit,

Miki