Description
Delightful Ricotta Almond Pillows dance between Italian tradition and modern dessert innovation, offering gentle sweetness with creamy ricotta and nutty almond notes. Home bakers can easily create these elegant pastries that melt in your mouth and bring Mediterranean charm to any gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
Primary Ingredients:
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup (60 grams) almond flour
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
Flavor Enhancers:
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 lemon
Dry Ingredients:
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- Powdered sugar (for dusting)
Instructions
- Prepare the oven environment by heating to 350°F (175°C) and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper for optimal cookie performance.
- Create a smooth base mixture by thoroughly blending ricotta cheese, almond flour, and granulated sugar until uniform in texture.
- Enhance the dough by incorporating egg, almond extract, vanilla extract, lemon zest, salt, and baking powder, mixing until a cohesive, slightly tacky consistency develops.
- Craft individual cookie portions by delicately scooping approximately one tablespoon of dough and gently forming each into a round shape.
- Position the dough balls strategically on the prepared baking sheet, ensuring generous spacing to allow for gentle expansion during baking.
- Carefully monitor the cookies in the oven, allowing them to transform into golden-edged delicacies over 12-15 minutes.
- Implement a two-stage cooling process: first, let the cookies rest briefly on the baking sheet to stabilize, then transfer to a wire rack for complete temperature reduction.
- Finalize the presentation by elegantly dusting the cooled cookies with a delicate layer of powdered sugar, creating a sophisticated and inviting finish.
Notes
- Ensure ricotta cheese is well-drained to prevent excess moisture that could make cookies soggy.
- Work with chilled dough for easier handling and more structured cookies.
- Use a small cookie scoop for uniform size and consistent baking results.
- For gluten-free variation, confirm almond flour is certified gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 105
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 32 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 24 mg