Look out for: a crisp outer texture and delicate centre with a hint of apricot and almond. Avoid anything too sweet or with harsh essence-like flavouring.
Guest panellist: Jamie Barber, owner of Villandry, London W1 (020-7631 3131)

The top three

Marks & Spencer Soft Tuscan Amaretti, 200g, £6.00
Dainty, coarse and rustic-looking, these smell fantastic. The balance of apricot and almond flavours is bang-on, and the centre is nicely moist. Just what you want served with your coffee.

Carluccio’s Amaretti Tradizionali, 250g, £5.95
Soft and plump, these have a light consistency and aren’t overly sweet. Hits you with a bitter almond aftertaste, though.

Saronno Amaretti Soft, 127g, £4.99 (Selfridges)
The texture feels like a coconut macaroon, so wetter and stodgier than you’d want. Makes you think of marzipan: it’s pleasant enough, but you’ll be full after two.

And the rest…

Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference Italian Amaretti Morbidi, 200g, £1.99
More like a humdrum biscuit than a classic amaretti. Perfectly edible, but it has a thick crust and dry, faintly flavoured centre. Bit on the small side, too.

Amaretti Virginia Amaretti Tradizionali, 200g, £2.49 (Waitrose)
You get chunky sugar granules on these, but they might as well stick Coco Pops on top. These are just too sickly to manage. Crisp and brittle, they instantly dissolve into sweet goo in your mouth.

Doria Amaretti, 250g, £1.49 (widely available)
What are these for? Just like eating spun sugar. No subtlety of taste, its hollow crunch is the signal to finish your coffee and get the bill.

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