Amaretti cu lămâie

A soft, slightly sticky dough is exactly right for these cookies, which is why the recipe calls for a 20-30 minute chill before shaping. If it still clings after chilling, work with lightly damp hands rather than adding more almonds, since extra dry ingredients will make the baked amaretti crumbly instead of soft in the center. You can also return the dough to the fridge for another few minutes if your kitchen is warm.

Yes, you can simply omit it - the cookies will still work, they will just taste milder and more like plain sweet almond. A little extra lemon zest is the easiest way to keep the flavor lively without it. Keep in mind bitter almond extract is very concentrated, so stick to the 2-3 drops and don't increase it hoping for more punch.

Store them in an airtight tin at room temperature, not in the fridge, where the almond dough dries out and firms up. Let them cool completely on the tray first, because trapped warmth turns the powdered sugar coating damp and sticky. If they do firm up over time, a slice of apple in the tin overnight helps soften them again.

Yes - the dough already needs a chilling step, so you can simply leave it covered in the fridge for longer and bake later. Roll the balls in powdered sugar only right before baking, since the sugar dissolves into the moist dough if it sits too long and you lose the crackled look. Shaped, unsugared balls can also be frozen and rolled in powdered sugar straight from frozen, with a minute or two extra in the oven.

The crackle comes from a generous powdered sugar coating drying on the surface while the cookie spreads underneath, so a thin dusting is the most common culprit - roll them heavily, and roll them twice if the first layer disappears into the dough. Baking at too low a temperature also mutes the effect, so make sure the oven is fully preheated to 170°C (340°F). Finally, don't flatten the balls; they need to puff and split on their own.