Italian Almond Cookies

In the bowl of a food processor, break up the almond paste. I simply used the pulse feature on my processor for a few seconds at a time, scraping the sides as needed. It only took a few minutes to turn the almost rock-hard paste into fine sand-like pieces. Add the sugar in two stages, processing for a few seconds each time to combine.

In a mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold the almond mixture into the egg whites, making sure the mixture is well-combined. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with a silpat mat or parchment paper (This is required for these cookies. They will stick to the baking sheet without it.)

Drop the dough by teaspoonfuls onto the baking sheet. Press a few sliced almonds into the top of each cookie, pressing down slightly to flatten each ball of dough. Bake for 14-15 minutes, until each cookie is just barely browned at the edge. Cool 2 minutes on the baking sheet before removing to a wire rack. Let the cookies cool completely before drizzling with chocolate.

Place the chocolate in a glass dish and melt in the microwave 30-60 seconds at a time at 50% power, stirring at intervals. Drizzle or dip the cookies as desired and place them on a parchment lined tray and chill until firm. Enjoy!