Prepare the baking pan / cookie sheet by laying out baking paper. Turn the oven to 200C, and once the temperature is reached, turn to 100C. (The cookies are more dried than baked as the only raw ingredient is egg white)
In a large bowl, separate eggs whites from egg yolks. Make sure no yolk parts end up in the bowl as the eggs won't foam then. (you can use egg yolks for a frittata or an omlette). The eggs fluff better if they are at room temperature.
With a mixer or a spoon, whisk the eggs until they they are fluffy and firm enough to create stand alone peaks.
If you are using it, Mix in the sugar substitute while continuing to stir with the mixer. NOTE: you can also use honey, agave, maple syrup, coconut sugar, but need more coconut sugar and will need more almonds if you use any liquid sweetner.i often also use none, as rose water is sweet.
Remove the mixer and add lemon juice, ground almonds, cardamom and rose water mix well with spatula. Taste the mixture to make sure it's to your taste and add sweetner, cardamom, lemon or rose water accordingly.
The mix should feel like a firm but maliable dough. if the mix is too runny, add more ground almonds. (Or combination of almonds and pistachios if you are using them)
On a cutting board, spread out flaked or chopped almonds. Take a ball of dough mix and shape into a desired shape - a horseshue, a round cookie etc and roll into the flaked almonds until it's covered.
You can repeat the same process, rolling the dough in chopped pistachios.
Lay all the cookies on the baking sheet, leaving 1-2 cm between them.
Bake uncovered until the external of the cookies is hard. (The inside will remain soft). Typically 15-30', depending on shape and size.
If you would like to se chocolate: melt cooking chocolate with a tablespoon of butter until smooth and liquid. Dip the cookies and then lay them on the baking sheet. put the cookies in the fridge for about 2 hrs so that chocolate hardens.
Weve. The cookies can last for days and I still tasty even a week later. Enjoy!
