Chewy Amaretti

Mix the almonds. Mix the ground almonds, caster sugar, salt and lemon zest together in a bowl. Combining the dry ingredients first means the egg white will fold through evenly in the next step.

Whisk whites and fold in. Whisk the egg whites to soft, foamy peaks that just hold their shape at the tips, then fold them into the almond mixture with the almond flavouring to form a thick, sticky paste. Only lightly whisking the whites keeps the paste dense enough to shape into balls rather than collapsing.

Shape and coat. With damp hands, roll the mixture into 20g balls, then roll each generously in icing sugar. Space them 4cm apart on the lined trays; damp hands stop the sticky paste clinging to your fingers.

Rest to form a skin. Leave the balls uncovered at room temperature for 1 hour, so a dry skin forms on the outside. This skin is what cracks open during baking to give amaretti their characteristic crackled top.

Heat the oven. During the resting time, heat the oven to 160°C (140°C fan) for at least 20 minutes. A moderate, fully heated oven bakes the amaretti through without drying out their chewy centres.

Bake until cracked. Bake for 20-24 minutes, until the tops are cracked and light golden at the base, and the biscuits feel just firm on the outside but still soft when pressed. That softness under a firm crust is exactly what keeps them chewy once cooled.

Cool and firm up. Cool on the tray for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. They firm up slightly as they cool but stay soft and chewy in the middle.