When you bite into these Bruttiboni aka brutti ma buoni, you will notice a crispy exterior and a soft, chewy interior. Truly a great addition to your Christmas cookie platter.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Pulse almonds and hazelnuts in a food processor to obtain a coarsely ground texture. Alternatively, chop by hand. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl (of a stand mixture), with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on low-medium speed until they start to foam.
Add a pinch of salt.
Add cinnamon and vanilla extract.
Add the sugar a tablespoon at a time. Whisk until you obtain stiff glossy peaks.
With a mixing spoon, fold in the nuts. Gently combine.
Transfer this mixture to a heat-proof bowl and place over a pot of hot, barely simmering water. This mixture needs to be stirred for about 15 minutes.
Portion with a medium-sized scooper and place on baking sheet.
Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until the tops are golden.
Allow to cool on baking sheet.
Video
Notes
To roast the nuts: Preheat oven to 325°F. Position rack to the center.Spread almonds and hazelnuts on a baking sheet and roast for about 10 minutes to obtain a light roasting. Remove the skins from the hazelnuts.Let the nuts cool to room temperature before using them in the recipe.
The almonds and the hazelnuts can be roastedin advance and stored at room temperature until needed. This ensures the use of room temperature ingredients until you are ready to make these nut cookies.
Do not rush the process of adding the sugar while whisking the egg whites. Add the sugar one tablespoon at a time to the egg whites.
The addition of cinnamon is optional.
*recipe adapted from the GazettePlease keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used. *recipe adapted from article found in the Gazette