Bocche di Dama
For the Cookies:
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1 pound blanched almonds
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1 cup granulated sugar
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2 lemons, zest only
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2 egg whites
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4 ounces amarene or sour cherries in syrup
For the Icing:
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1 cup powdered sugar
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1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon, whole milk
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4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
Directions
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To prepare the paste, boil the almonds and remove the peel. Once they are cold and somewhat dry, put them in a food processor or a blender and chop them finely. About 2 minutes.
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Put the chopped almonds in a bowl, add the lemon zest, the sugar and egg whites. Mix until the egg whites dilute the sugar and the mixture becomes a paste.
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Take a lump of mixture in your hand, roll it into a ball the size slightly smaller than a golf ball. Press your finger into the ball, insert in the opening 2 cherries and close the ball again by rolling it in your hands.
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Place all the cookies on a baking sheet and bake for 15-16 mins. at 350F. Let them cool.
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Make your icing by mixing the milk and sugar. The icing should be thick.
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Dip each cookies in the icing and put them to dry on a rack. Alternatively you can just dust some powdered sugar on them.
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Melt the chocolate and put it in a plastic bag. Cut a small end of the bag and decorate the cookies as you desire.
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Let the icing and chocolate dry completely for a few hours.