Brutti ma Buoni

From the Italian, the name of this tasty cookie translates to "ugly, but good." Our food stylist breathes a sigh of relief. And boy does it live up to its name. Lots of roasted nuts and a touch of cocoa powder get packed into an airy, slightly meringue-like cookie that looks terrible!

This is one of recipes to keep in your back pocket for those odd times you find yourself with too many egg whites and not enough ideas for what to do with them. With a solid base of 6 egg whites, whipped to soft peaks, this cookie is light and airy, subtly sweet, and perfect with your favorite espresso. Here's what you need:

Egg Whites - From mayo to omelets, lots of recipes benefit from taking out the yolks. Find a few and save the whites for this lovely cookie.

Nuts - Hazelnuts and almonds to be more precise, toasted slightly.

Sweetener - Stevia of course for the smallest impact on your blood sugar.

Cocoa Powder - I wouldn't call this a chocolate cookie, but there's enough to be oh so delightful.

Coconut Flour - Just a dash to help with those whipped egg whites.

Vanilla - Instant beauty.

complete instructions below

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Brutti ma Buoni

Yield: 2 dozen

Serves: 12

Prep: 15 min

Cook: 30 min

Ready: 45 min

Ingredients

• 6 egg whites

• 1 cup hazelnuts

• 1 cup almonds

• 1/2 tsp powdered stevia

• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1/2 tablespoon coconut flour

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and spread the nuts over two separate baking sheets. Lightly toast the almonds until they just begin to take on color, and toast the hazelnuts until their skins begin to split and they begin to color. You should end up removing the almonds first. When all is toasted, place in a kitchen towel and rub the nuts until their skins fall off. Coarsely chop the nuts.

2. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. and lightly grease two baking sheets. Let egg whites stand until at room temperature, and then beat them until light and foamy. Add the sweetener, cocoa, and flour, gradually as you continue to beat until soft peaks are formed. Gently fold in the nuts.

3. Spoon the cookies onto greased baking sheets by the teaspoonful, about 1 to 1-1/2 inches apart. Bake about 25 to 30 minutes, or until dry and firm to the touch. Remove and place on a wire rack to cool.

4. Note: These cookies are really best fresh. They lose their crispness when left overnight.