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1
Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 325F.
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2
Line a baking sheet with parchment and cut another sheet of parchment the same size.
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3
Spread the almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast them until they are light golden and fragrant, 7 to 8 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally so the nuts brown evenly.
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4
Remove the almonds from the oven and let them cool to room temperature.
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5
Stir the flour and cornstarch together in a medium bowl.
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6
Combine the butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl and cream them together with the mixer on high speed until they are light and fluffy, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, about 5 minutes.
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7
Add the vanilla and mix thoroughly.
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8
Add one egg yolk at a time, beating one egg yolk in thoroughly before adding the other.
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9
Add the flour-cornstarch mixture and the shredded, sweetened coconut and beat to incorporate all of the ingredients.
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10
Turn off the mixer and use a rubber spatula to fold in the toasted almonds.
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11
Turn the dough out onto the prepared baking sheet.
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12
Press on the dough to flatten it to a 2-inch-thick rectangle.
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13
Cover the dough with another sheet of parchment paper, place the parchment-sandwiched dough on a flat work surface, and roll the dough out to a 1/2-inch thickness.
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14
Without removing the parchment paper, return the dough to the baking sheet and place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
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15
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and flip it to turn it out onto a flat work surface.
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16
Peel off both sheets of parchment paper and use them to line two baking sheets, with the clean side facing up.
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17
Cut the dough with a 2-inch round cookie cutter, making the cuts as close together as possible.
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18
Carefully lift the rounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between each cookie.
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19
When you have cut all the dough, gather what is left and reroll it and cut it in the same way.
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20
(If the dough is too soft to reroll, gather it into a ball and refrigerate it to chill it slightly before rolling it again.)
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21
Discard the scraps left after rerolling the dough once.
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22
Cover the baking sheets with plastic wrap and place them in the refrigerator to chill the dough for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
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23
If all the cookies dont fit on two sheets, put them on a third parchment-lined baking sheet, if you have one, or place them on a sheet of parchment paper and refrigerate the dough while you bake the first batch.
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24
If you are reusing the baking sheet, set the cookies aside to cool slightly before removing them from the baking sheet, then bake the second batch in the same way as the first.
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25
Adjust two oven racks so that one rack is in the top third of the oven and one in the bottom third and preheat the oven to 300F.
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26
Brush the dough rounds with the egg whites, making sure to get the egg white to the edges but not on the sides.
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27
Using your fingers, pile as much of the unsweetened, shaved coconut as you can onto each cookie, about 2 tablespoons per cookie.
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28
Bake the cookies for 45 to 50 minutes, until they are golden brown, switching the baking sheets from front to back and from the upper to the lower racks halfway through so the cookies brown evenly.
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29
Remove the cookies from the oven and set aside to cool completely before dusting lightly with confectioners sugar.
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30
Vin Santo Del Chianti Classico (Tuscany)
