3 egg whites
1/2 cup (4oz) caster (superfine) sugar
1 cup (4oz) plain (all-purpose) flour
1 cup (4oz) unblanched almonds
1 tsp vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 180C (350F).
Beat egg whites until stiff (don't overbeat), then gradually add sugar, beating until thick and glossy (like making a meringue).
Using a metal spoon, fold in flour, almonds, and vanilla, mix well but gently.
Turn batter into a parchment paper lined small loaf pan, and bake for 30 minutes until golden brown.
Cool in pan, then turn out (I usually leave the paper on), and wrap in foil. Refrigerate overnight.
Next day, preheat oven to 150C (300F). Cut the loaf into thin, even slices (a perfect use for a santoku knife!) and place on parchment lined baking tray. Bake until golden and crisp (start checking after 10 minutes, my last batch took about 18 minutes, but it varies depending on the thickness of your slices). Cool and store in an airtight container, after you've eaten all the misshapen ones.
