| 1 | Makes: 30 cooking time: 20 minutes oven temperature: 160 c (325°F) blend ground almonds with icing sugar measured after sifting. |
| 2 | Add lightly beaten egg whites with lemon rind if used and almond essence. |
| 3 | Mix to a firm dough with hands. |
| 4 | Clean hands and rub with a little butter to prevent dough sticking while shaping. |
| 5 | Break off small pieces of dough the size of a walnut and form into pear shapes. |
| 6 | Insert a whole clove in the top of each to resemble a stem and place upright on a buttered and floured baking sheet. |
| 7 | Bake in a moderately slow oven for 20 minutes, covering with brown paper if tops begin to brown. |
| 8 | Sift 2 cups icing sugar into a bowl and dip hot amigthalota into it. |
| 9 | If desired, a little rose or orange flower water may be brushed onto amigthalota before dipping into icing sugar. |
| 10 | Place on a wire rack to cool. |
| 11 | Sift remaining sugar from bowl into base of a container and arrange cooled almond pears upright in a single layer. |
| 12 | Sift more sugar thickly over tops and sides, seal and store for a day or two before using |
