Italian Almond Blood Orange Cookies

Ingredients

• For cookies:
• 1/2 cup sliced blanched almonds, toasted and cooled
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 16 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg yolk, white reserved
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 packed teaspoon blood orange zest from about 1 small blood orange
• For coating:
• 1 egg white
• 1 1/2 cups sliced blanched almonds
• Confectioners sugar, for dusting

Directions

1. Put the toasted almonds in a food processor and pulse until they look like rough, sandy flour. Transfer them to a medium bowl, then mix in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set that bowl aside for now.
2. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the butter and sugar until light and soft, about 3 minutes. Beat in the egg yolk, orange zest, and vanilla. Add the dry mixture and mix just until the dough comes together.
3. Split the dough into 2 equal portions. Shape each portion into a log that is 1-inch wide, wrap the logs in plastic wrap, and chill them in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
4. Set the oven racks in the lower and middle positions, then heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Slice the first log into rounds that are 1/4th-inch wide.
5. Pour the egg white into a shallow bowl, and put the sliced almonds in a second shallow bowl. Dip each cookie in the egg white, then press it into the almonds so it is coated. Arrange the cookies on the prepared baking sheet, and do the same with the remaining dough. Bake until the cookies are golden, about 15 minutes. Cool them on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack. Finish with a coating of confectioner's sugar.