Nzuddi
Rustic Catania almond biscuits infused with orange zest and warm spices, each topped with a whole roasted almond and baked until golden.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 275 kcal
Equipment
- •Baking tray
- •Baking parchment
- •Mixing bowl
- •Microplane grater
- •Wire cooling rack
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 275 kcal
- fat
- 12 g
- carbs
- 36 g
- fibre
- 3 g
- protein
- 6 g
- calories
- 275 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan) and line a large baking sheet with baking parchment.
- 2
Combine the flour, ground almonds, sugar, orange zest, cinnamon, cloves, and baking powder in a large bowl.
- 3
Add the honey and lightly beaten egg whites into the dry mixture.
- 4
Work the ingredients together with clean hands until a cohesive, slightly sticky dough forms.
- 5
Add a few drops of water only if the mixture remains too crumbly to shape.
- 6
Pinch off walnut-sized portions of dough and roll them into smooth balls.
- 7
Place the balls onto the baking tray, leaving three centimetres of space between each.
- 8
Flatten each ball slightly and press a whole almond firmly into the centre.
- 9
Bake for twelve to fifteen minutes until the edges turn light golden brown.
- 10
Transfer the biscuits immediately onto a wire rack to cool completely and firm up.
Chef's tips
Do not overbake these biscuits, as they harden considerably upon cooling. They should still feel slightly soft in the centre when removed from the oven.
Ingredient substitutions
- baking powder → baker's ammonia (ammoniaca per dolci) for a lighter, more traditional crumb
- orange zest → mandarin zest, for a sharper seasonal citrus aroma
Storage
Keep in an airtight biscuit tin at room temperature for up to two weeks.
Reheating
Nzuddi are eaten at room temperature and do not require reheating.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Baking until completely firm in the oven, which makes the cooled biscuits unpleasantly hard.
- •Not pressing the whole almond deeply enough, causing it to fall off as the dough expands.
- •Adding too much liquid, which causes the biscuits to spread flat and lose their rustic shape.
Serving suggestions
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