Crisp on the outside, melt-in-your-mouth on the inside. Yummy!

Makes 18
Preparation 25 mins
Cooking 25 mins Per portion 93 kcals,
4g fat (0.3g saturated)
Suitable for freezing
Suitable for vegetarians

2 egg whites
110g (4oz) ground almonds
225g (8oz) caster sugar
15g (½oz) ground rice
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp almond flavouring
A little extra egg white
9 blanched almonds, split in half

1 Grease two baking sheets. Line with rice paper.

2 Beat egg whites until foamy but not stiff. Add almonds, sugar, ground rice, vanilla and almond flavouring. Beat well.

3 Pipe or spoon 18 mounds of mixture, well apart, onto prepared baking sheets. Brush with egg white. Put half an almond in middle of each one.

4 Bake at 170°C (325°F) Mark 3 for 20–25 minutes, or until pale gold.

5 Leave to cool for 5 minutes. Carefully lift off, then remove rice paper from edges.

6 Cool on a wire cooling rack. Store in an airtight container when cold.

Recipe taken from the new 2012 edition of The Dairy Book of Home Cookery.