Italian Recipes - Nuns' Sighs (Sospiri di Manache) Recipe

  
 

Italian Desserts Recipes - Nuns' Sighs (Sospiri di Monache) Recipe

Ingredients                                     

  • 200 g/7 oz/1 3/4 cups hazelnuts

  • 4 egg whites

  • 275 g/10 oz/1 2/3 cups icing (confectioners') sugar

  • Grated rind of 1 lime

  • Grated rind of 1 lemon

  • Fresh Apricot Sauce, to serve

Method:

  1. Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast in a preheated oven at 180°C/350°F/ gas mark 4 for 15 minutes until the skins loosen.

  2. Rub off the skins in a tea towel and chop the nuts finely. Put the egg whites and icing sugar into a bowl and whisk until the mixture forms stiff peaks.

  3. Gently fold in the chopped hazelnuts and the lime and lemon rinds.

  4. Line baking sheets with non­stick baking parchment or oiled foil and drop large spoonfuls of the meringue on to the sheets, shaping into tear shapes with the end of the spoon.

  5. Reduce the oven to 150°C/300°F/gas mark 2 and bake for 45 minutes. Allow to cool and serve with raspberry sauce.