Raspberry lava stones are sold in patisseries in the small villages of central France. These crispy cookies have ingredients similar to the classic French macaroon, with one major difference: baker’s ammonia. The snappy texture comes from incorporating a pinch of baker’s ammonia into the batter.
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 cups shelled, toasted almonds
- 1/4 cup plus 1/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baker’s ammonia (no substitute)
- 3 egg whites
- 1/2 teaspoon raspberry extract
- 2-3 drops red food coloring
Preparation:
Using a food processor, grind the almonds until they have a very coarse pebbly-sandy texture. Using the pulse setting, mix in 1/4 cup sugar, flour, and baker’s ammonia, just until the ingredients are fully incorporated.
Beat the egg whites on high until they turn frothy. Continue beating and gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, one teaspoon at a time, and the red food coloring with the raspberry extract to the egg whites. Continue beating the egg whites and sugar until stiff, glossy peaks form.
Gently fold the sugar-nut mixture into the egg whites. Loosely cover the batter, without touching it, and refrigerate it for 2-4 hours. Do not skip this step.
Preheat the oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop scant teaspoonfuls of batter 1 1/2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes, until they puff up and turn very light golden brown. Transfer the baked cookies to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely before serving.
This raspberry lava stone cookies recipe makes approximately 2 to 3 dozen cookies.
