Каприлу ал Лимоне

The dough should be soft and slightly sticky, but still hold its shape when you press a piece together in your hand. If it feels too loose to shape, add a little more ground almonds a spoonful at a time rather than all at once. Moistening your hands before shaping keeps the sticky dough from clinging to your fingers.

Unblanched ground almonds work but give the cookies a darker, speckled look and a more rustic almond flavour. Very fine almond flour absorbs more moisture, so start with a little less than the full 300 g and add the rest only if the dough stays too wet. Avoid almond meal that has been defatted, as it makes the cookies dry rather than tender.

Let them cool completely first, then store them in an airtight tin at room temperature so the outside stays delicately crisp while the inside remains soft. Don't refrigerate them, as the moisture makes the powdered sugar coating dissolve and turn sticky. If the coating fades after a few days, dust the cookies with a little fresh powdered sugar before serving.

Yes, you can mix the dough and keep it covered in the fridge for a few hours, then let it come back to room temperature before shaping so it is pliable. You can also shape and sugar-coat the cookies and leave them on the lined baking sheet until you are ready to bake. Mixing the sugar with the lemon zest a little in advance is fine too and lets the aroma develop further.

The biggest one is overbaking: after 12-15 minutes at 170 °C the cookies should still look pale, and any noticeable browning means they will turn dry instead of tender. The second is moving them too early, since they are very soft straight from the oven and only firm up as they cool. Finally, adding all the egg white at once can make the dough too wet, so fold it in gradually along with the lemon juice.