Almendras Sopladas (Almond Puffs)

I wanted a simple treat to serve with a strong coffee for our Thanksgiving dessert. No pumpkin pie on our table today. Encarnacion included a recipe for Almendras Sopladas in her cookbook: "Finely chop a pound of almonds, then add them to egg whites and twelve ounces of powdered sugar, beat them to snowy peaks, then spread them on sheets of white paper and put them in the oven."

No more details than that. I figured my recipe for Italian amaretti were close enough, so I made those.

2 egg whites
1 C organic granulated sugar
2 C ground almonds

Beat egg whites to stiff peaks. Gradually beat in sugar, again, forming stiff peaks. Gently fold in ground almonds. Spoon mixture onto parchment paper and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Bake in a 375 degree oven till the cookies are firm and the tops cracked, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and place baking pan on a rack to cool. When cool gently peel cookies from parchment.

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