Soft Amaretti Orange

Soft Amaretti Orange. Soft amaretto cookies from Sassello with candied orange peel.

Soft Amaretti Orange are soft almond cookies from Amaretti Virginia in Liguria, in which candied orange peel accompanies the bitter almond. No crunchy Amarettino, no marzipan, no baked goods with flour.

Soft Amaretti Orange are a soft almond cookie from Amaretti Virginia, baked from apricot kernels, sugar, egg whites, and candied orange paste. Anyone who thinks of Amaretti as hard, dry cookies to be dipped will have to rethink. These pieces give way even under light pressure. The crust is barely thicker than paper, while the core remains moist and dense underneath. Only then does the orange reveal itself, not as sweetness, but as slightly bitter peel. Once you have tried them, you measure Amaretti by Sassello, no longer by Saronno.

Bitter almond meets candied peel, not orange juice

Soft Amaretti Orange taste of bitter almond and candied orange peel, with the peel's delicate bitterness tempering the sweetness of the dough. The orange paste consists of 49 percent peel, not fruit pulp. This is why the fruit tastes dark and warm here, closer to candied peel than to freshly squeezed juice.

In the mouth, the cookie opens in two stages. First, the powdered sugar melts on the tongue. Then the core with its marzipan character, in which small pieces of peel are mixed and release their essential oil when chewed. The aftertaste is long and slightly tart. The aroma of the apricot kernels, known as Armelline in Liguria, provides the typical Amaretti note.

The texture changes with the temperature. Straight from a cool pantry, the core is firm and sliceable. At room temperature, it becomes soft and almost creamy after half an hour. Anyone looking for the difference to marzipan will find it in the grain. The kernels are finely ground but not processed into a smooth paste. When chewed, a slight resistance remains, reminiscent of freshly ground almonds.

Anyone expecting orange cookies like candied sugar, sweet and without edges, will find the tartness of the peel too prominent. It is intentional and makes the difference to the milder lemon variety from the same bakery.

With espresso, with chocolate, and in baked peaches

These Amaretti pair with anything that brings roasted aromas or bitterness, because the orange peel takes in both directions. Three pieces next to a double espresso replace dessert after a long meal. With a bar of 70 percent dark chocolate, the combination is created that one knows from the Christmas bakery as candied peel and couverture.

For a dessert, halve four peaches, remove the stone, and fill the cavity with crumbled Amaretti. A piece of butter on top, 20 minutes at 180 degrees. In Piedmont and Liguria, this preparation belongs to summer like ice cream. Over vanilla ice cream or mascarpone cream, two crushed pieces per portion are enough.

With wine, the orange note pairs with anything that itself carries orange peel. A glass of Vin Santo brings nut and caramel, a Moscato d'Asti sweetness and sparkle. A dry white wine is not suitable; its acidity makes the Amaretti taste flat. For a cheese platter, place two pieces next to an aged Pecorino. Salt and bitter almond complement each other, the orange connects both. A creamy Gorgonzola dolce also tolerates the combination, because its sweetness catches the tartness of the peel.

Good to know: These Amaretti are not suitable for tiramisu or a cake base. They are too soft and too moist to provide structure, and they disappear in the dough. For that, you need the crunchy Amarettini, which you can find in the shelf for sweet baked goods and cookies.

Protected in 1897, baked according to the same principle since 1860

Amaretti Virginia registered the brand in 1897, but the recipe dates back to 1860 in Sassello. Sassello is located in the hinterland of Savona at around 400 meters above sea level, and the town is closely connected to the baked goods. The Rossi family initially baked their soft Amaretti for the guests of their own inn, later for all of Italy.

The difference to the well-known Amaretti from Saronno is fundamental. In Saronno, the pieces are baked dry and crunchy. In Sassello, they remain soft because the dough consists of 46 percent apricot kernels and egg whites and contains no flour. Flour would bind water and harden during baking. That is exactly what happens with Amarettini, which is why they remain crunchy for months. Without flour, the egg whites hold the mass together, and the high kernel content remains moist. The surface cracks finely during baking because the powdered sugar on the outside dries faster than the core.

For the orange variety, the peel is first candied in syrup and then worked into the dough as a paste. The peel content of 49 percent is high; many candied orange pastes come with significantly less. Each piece is shaped individually and placed in the round metal tin, which holds 140 grams. Between baking and packaging, there is a resting time in which the moisture distributes evenly in the core. Only then is the tin closed.

The tin that remains when the baked goods are eaten up

The Amaretti come in a decorated metal tin, which after the last piece continues to live as storage in the kitchen shelf. This makes them a gift that does not look like an afterthought. For hosts who cook themselves, a tin from Sassello is a clear signal. It says that the guest has taken interest in the topic.

On the coffee table, the tin replaces the cookie board. Place the Amaretti at room temperature half an hour beforehand, then the core is soft and the aroma of the peel is fully present. For an espresso pot for four people, half the tin is enough. The rest stays closed for the next visit, without the core becoming dry. For an effortless dessert, place two pieces each next to a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a piece of dark chocolate. You don't need more.

As an accompaniment to coffee after the meal, as a supplement to a gift basket with Italian specialties, or as a small treat for colleagues. The berry variety with blueberry together with the orange makes a pair for two seasons. Stored cool and dry, the core remains soft in the closed tin for months.

A baked good for everyone who has only known Amaretti as crunchy so far and wants to know how they have been baked in Liguria since 1860.