The Italians love their almonds, especially during the holidays. They always have a batch on hand to put in biscotti, in tarts, and all over cake tops. To make them, they simply dust almonds with sugar and bake them in the oven until they are toasty and the sugar has caramelized around them. It’s very simple, and the results make a satisfying little sweet all on their own.
1 large egg white, at room temperature
⅓ cup vanilla sugar
2 cups almonds in their skins
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk the egg white and sugar together in a mixing bowl until blended and slightly foamy. Add the almonds and stir until they are thoroughly coated. Spread them out on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle with any excess egg white mixture.
Bake the almonds in the center of the oven until they are deep golden, about 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet to room temperature. Break the almonds apart, discarding any excess egg white, and store them in an airtight container in a cool place. They will keep nicely for at least two weeks.
