Biscotti di mandorla

Biscotti di mandorla are soft almond biscuits or cookies that are prepared with a combination of finely crushed almonds, beaten egg whites, icing sugar, lemon zest, and almond flakes. The ingredients are combined into a thick almond paste which is then shaped into a desired form and baked until nicely colored. The cookies are typically sprinkled with powdered or granulated sugar, and they are often garnished with ingredients such as candied maraschino cherries, whole almonds, pine nuts, pistachios, or hazelnuts. They may take on different shapes including small round balls, disks, or S-shapes, and they're also often flavored with almond and vanilla extracts. These almond cookies are especially popular in the southeastern part of Sicily which is renowned for the production of some of the finest almonds in the world.