Dark ricciarelli macaroons with Nutella®

Ingredients for 8 servings
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3/4 cups shelled almonds
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1 cup powdered sugar
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2 tbsp cocoa powder
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2 egg whites
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bitter almond extract
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1/2 cup dark chocolate
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powdered sugar for garnish
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1 cup Nutella® (1 tsp/portion)

To prepare this delicious recipe, 1 tbsp of Nutella® per person is enough to enjoy!
METHOD
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STEP 1
Toast the almonds for a few minutes in the oven pre-heated to 220 degrees, then put them in the food processor with 2 tbsp of powdered sugar. Melt the chocolate in a double-boiler and keep it aside until it cools. Strain the rest of the powdered sugar with the bitter cocoa into a large bowl. Beat the egg whites with a few drops of bitter almond extract until stiff. Add the other 2 prepared mixtures, mix them all together, cover with cling wrap and refridgerate to rest overnight.
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STEP 2
Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees. Take the mixture out of the fridge, leave it at room temperature for 15 minutes and place it onto the work surface, sprinkled with some powdered sugar. Knead the dough to form a sausage and split that into 20 little balls. Coat the little balls of dough in a dish filled with powdered sugar, turning them around to make sure the are completely covered.
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STEP 3
Transfer the little balls onto a baking tray covered with parchment paper, gently squash them down and bake in a hot oven for approximately 20 monutes until cracks form on the surface of the biscuits. Take the baking tray out from the oven and let the biscuits cool for 5 minutes, then arrange them on a cooling rack to cool completely.
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STEP 4
Arrange the ricciarelli on a tray, sprinkle them with some more powdered sugar and serve with 2 tsp of Nutella® per portion (2-3 biscuits)
Ricciarelli is a typical sweet treat from Siena, with ancient Eastern origins. Legend says that it was the knight Ricciardetto Della Gherardesca who introduced these as a sweet treat when he returned from the Crusades to his castle near Volterra. They went on to evolve into several varieties, one of these being the recipe for dark ricciarelli macaroons with Nutella®.