Soft amaretti cookies

Put the egg whites into a large bowl with a pinch of salt. Use an electric hand mixer to beat them to stiff peaks.

In a separate bowl, add the almonds and 90g of the caster sugar. Stir with a fork to mix well and break up any lumps. Add about ⅓ of the almond and sugar mixture to the egg whites and fold in gently with a spatula.

Fold in the vanilla extract and liqueur or almond extract, then add the remaining almond and sugar mixture gradually, folding gently until fully combined. The dough should have a thick paste-like texture and be quite wet. Chill for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.

Pour the remaining 50g caster sugar onto a plate, and the icing sugar into a small bowl. Sit the plate on a set of scales. Dampen your hands then use 2 teaspoons to drop 25g dough onto the plate of sugar. Roll the mixture into a ball between wet palms. Roll lightly into the sugar so it is entirely coated.

Drop the ball into the bowl of icing sugar and swill the bowl in a circular motion. This will coat the ball and encourage it to form into a smooth sphere. Repeat, placing the balls onto the parchment-lined trays as you go. If you don’t have 2 trays, leave the excess balls on a plate of icing sugar until you can bake a second batch.

Space the balls out with gaps of at least 2cm, then bake in a preheated oven at 180ºC, gas mark 4, for 20 minutes or until pale golden, risen and cracked. Remove from the tray immediately and leave to cool on a cooling rack.