Orange Cardamom Macaroons

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 4 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Place almonds, hazelnuts, cardamom and orange zest in the bowl of a food processor. Process until nuts are ground.
3. Add confectioner’s sugar and pulse a few more times to blend, and the nuts are finely ground. Turn out to a large bowl.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk egg whites for a minute or two, until fluffy. Pour over nut mixture, and blend well, mashing the mixture with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to evenly incorporate the egg whites. Form into a ball shape.
5. Divide dough into 24 balls. I use a small ice cream/cookie scoop, about 1 1/4 inch in diameter, which make them pretty uniform in size. Place on cookie sheets, 2 inches apart. Press whole almonds/hazelnuts onto cookies. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until just lightly browned on top. Let cool completely on pans before removing.
6. Alternatively, after forming the 24 balls, roll each one out into 4 inch long logs, and form into a chubby “s” shape. A little powdered sugar sprinkled on your fingertips helps with the rolling.
7. Cooking tip: if your eggs are cold, place them in some hot tap water for a few minutes, to bring them to room temperature faster.