Ricciarelli are oval sweets from Siena made with finely ground almonds, sugar and egg white, flavoured with orange peel and covered in a layer of icing sugar. They have a soft, marzipan-like centre and a white, cracked surface. They contain no flour or butter and are especially associated with Christmas.
In this article you’ll find the ricciarelli recipe for about 20 pieces, with quantities, the resting time for the dough, how to shape them, the oven temperature and baking time that keep them soft, the history of the sweet, practical tips and how to store them.
Recipe card
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Preparation | 30 minutes |
| Cooking | 15 minutes |
| Resting | 13 hours (12 hours for the dough in the fridge, 1 hour for the shaped ricciarelli) |
| Total time | 13 hours 45 minutes |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Servings | About 20 ricciarelli |
| Category | Dessert / biscuits |
| Cuisine | Tuscan (Sienese) |
| Cooking method | Baked |
Ingredients for about 20 ricciarelli
- 250 g blanched almonds, finely ground (or almond flour)
- 200 g icing sugar, plus about 100 g for coating
- 2 egg whites (about 70 g)
- 20 g candied orange peel, very finely chopped, or the grated zest of 1 unwaxed orange
- 2-3 drops of bitter almond extract (optional)
- 1 pinch of salt
- Edible wafer paper (optional, as a base)
The almonds. They are the main ingredient and must be blanched and ground very finely, almost to a flour. If you grind them at home, add a few spoonfuls of the sugar to the food processor and pulse, so the almonds don’t release their oil. The production rules for Ricciarelli di Siena call for sweet almonds with a share of bitter almonds: at home, bitter almond extract is a simple alternative.
The orange and the egg whites. Candied orange is the traditional flavouring and also adds moisture to the dough. The egg whites should be only lightly whipped: they bind the mixture, they are not meant to make it rise.
How to make ricciarelli
- Mix the dry base. In a bowl, mix the ground almonds with 200 g icing sugar, the salt and the candied orange or grated zest.
- Lightly whip the egg whites. Whisk the egg whites until white and foamy, without reaching stiff peaks. Add the bitter almond extract, if using.
- Make the dough. Add the egg whites to the almond mixture a little at a time, stirring with a spatula. You’ll get a firm, sticky dough that comes away from the bowl. If it’s too soft to shape, add a spoonful of ground almonds.
- Rest the dough. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave the dough in the fridge for 12 hours. Resting lets the almonds absorb the moisture and makes the dough easier to work.
- Shape the ricciarelli. Put the coating icing sugar on a plate. Take portions of about 25 g, roll them into balls, coat them in icing sugar and flatten them slightly into the typical oval diamond shape, about 6 cm long and 1.5 cm thick.
- Let them dry. Place the ricciarelli on a tray lined with baking paper, or on wafer paper, well spaced. Leave them at room temperature for about 1 hour: the surface dries and cracks evenly in the oven.
- Bake. Bake in a preheated conventional oven at 150 °C (300 °F) for 12-15 minutes. The ricciarelli should stay pale, with a cracked surface and just golden underneath. They must not brown: longer baking makes them dry.
- Cool and finish. Let them cool completely on the tray, as they are fragile when warm. Dust with more icing sugar before serving.
History and tradition of ricciarelli di Siena
Ricciarelli belong to Siena’s confectionery tradition alongside panforte. In the past they were made in convents and in the shops of the speziali, the old apothecaries, who were among the few to have the spices, sugar and flavourings needed to season and preserve food.
A legend links the sweet to Ricciardetto della Gherardesca, a knight said to have brought curved almond sweets back to Tuscany from the Crusades. It is a traditional tale rather than a documented fact. A firm reference is Pellegrino Artusi, who included a recipe for “Ricciarelli di Siena” in his 1891 book “La scienza in cucina e l’arte di mangiar bene”.
Today Ricciarelli di Siena have Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status, with production in the province of Siena. The production rules call for sweet and bitter almonds, sugar, egg white and candied orange or orange essence.
Practical tips
- Don’t skip the rest. Dough used straight away is wetter, spreads in the oven and doesn’t develop the typical cracks.
- Use finely ground almonds. A coarse grind gives a grainy centre. If you buy ready-made almond flour, choose one made from blanched almonds.
- Bake at a low temperature. 150 °C (300 °F) and a few minutes are enough: they are ready when the surface is dry to the touch, even if the centre still feels soft. They firm up as they cool.
- Work with slightly damp or sugared hands. The dough is sticky: icing sugar on your hands helps shape it without sticking.
Variations and storage
Variations
Alongside the classic icing sugar version, in Siena you can find ricciarelli coated in dark chocolate. Some home recipes add a pinch of vanilla or replace the candied orange with grated lemon zest.
Many recipes include a small amount of bicarbonate of soda or baker’s ammonia, which makes the inside fluffier. Without raising agents, as in this recipe, you get a denser, more marzipan-like ricciarello.
Storage
Ricciarelli keep at room temperature in a tin or airtight container for about 2 weeks. Over time they dry out slightly: a piece of orange peel in the tin helps keep them soft. They can be frozen for 2 months; thaw them at room temperature and dust again with icing sugar.
Frequently asked questions about ricciarelli
Are ricciarelli gluten-free?
The recipe contains no wheat flour: the ingredients are almonds, sugar, egg whites and orange. If you’re making them for people with coeliac disease, check that every ingredient, especially candied peel, flavourings and wafer paper, is certified gluten-free.
Why did my ricciarelli spread in the oven?
Usually the dough is too wet, from too much egg white or too short a rest. Let the dough rest overnight and, if it’s still soft, add some ground almonds before shaping.
Why don’t they crack?
The cracks form when the sugar-coated surface dries before baking. Be generous with the icing sugar and let the shaped ricciarelli dry for an hour before baking.
What is the difference between ricciarelli and cantucci?
Both are Tuscan almond sweets, but ricciarelli are soft and made with ground almonds and no flour, while cantucci are dry biscuits made with flour and whole almonds, baked twice.
More Tuscan almond sweets
If you like almond sweets, try Tuscan cantucci, dry biscuits to serve with Vin Santo. For an autumn dessert with no added sugar there is castagnaccio. If you’d like to learn to make traditional Tuscan desserts, the cooking classes at Orto San Frediano in Florence are a good place to start.
