“The name amaretti comes from amaro, literally ‘bitter’ in Italian, after their unmistakable bittersweet taste. This is due to the addition of small amounts of bitter almonds or apricot kernels to the basic nut and sugar mix,” explains The Great British Bake Off winner Giuseppe Dell’Anno.

“The recipe below will produce a crispy, partially hollow biscuit, probably the variety most often found in shops and bakeries around the country. Preparation is exceptionally simple: all you need is a food processor and a clean spray bottle. However, these biscuits are deceptively temperamental: you must follow the steps in the recipe religiously if you want a nicely formed biscuit.”

Amaretti

Ingredients:(Makes about 50)

250g icing sugar, plus extra for dusting90g unblanched whole almonds10g bitter apricot kernels⅛tsp salt35g egg white (about 1 medium egg white)1tsp vanilla bean paste¼tsp natural almond extract

Method:

1. Place 150 grams of the icing sugar in the bowl of a food processor, add the almonds and apricot kernels, then blitz at high speed for about 40 seconds until the mixture is very fine and floury. Add the remaining 100 grams icing sugar and the salt, then blitz again for a further 40 seconds. Add the egg white, vanilla and almond extract, then blitz one final time until the mixture comes together in a smooth, doughy mass. Turn the dough on to a clean and dry worktop, press it down and fold it in half a few times with the help of a scraper. The dough will be quite sticky, so the scraper is essential to help handle it. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and leave it to rest in the fridge overnight.

2. The following day, place the shelf in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 160°C (325°F/Gas mark 3). Line a baking sheet with baking paper.

3. Take the dough out of the fridge, unwrap it (keep the clingfilm) and work it with the pressing and folding action again for a few times. The dough should feel much firmer than the previous day, but the scraper will still be helpful. Divide the dough into small chunks, about seven grams each. Keeping the size as consistent as possible across the biscuits will ensure an even bake, but if you do not want to weigh the individual biscuits one by one, you can use a teaspoon to make the small portions: seven grams is a bit more than half a teaspoon.

4. Roll each lump of dough between the palms of your hands to shape it into a small ball, then arrange them on the lined baking sheet, leaving at least five centiemtres between them. Form only enough biscuits to fill one baking sheet (about 15), wrap the rest of the dough back in its clingfilm and store it in the fridge until you are ready to prepare another batch.

5. Slightly flatten the top of each ball with your thumb. Use a spray bottle filled with water to spray water on to the biscuits until their surface is completely wet: some droplets will drip down the biscuits and possibly pool on the baking paper. This is perfectly acceptable, and it will not be a problem. Quickly dust the top of the wet biscuits with a thin layer of icing sugar (you will see the sugar disappear when it lands on the wet biscuits) and immediately place the baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 17–18 minutes until the biscuits are a light caramel colour.

6. Remove the biscuits from the oven, slide the baking paper on to a cooling rack and leave the baking tray to cool while you shape the following batch. Take the biscuits off the baking paper only when they are at room temperature. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Giuseppe’s Italian Bakes by Giuseppe Dell’Anno is published by Quadrille, priced £20. Photography by Matt Russell. Available now.