CHOCOLATE ITALIAN COOKIES
1/4 tsp. baking soda
4 1/2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1 c. cocoa, Hershey
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cloves
2 tsp. cinnamon
6 tbsp. shortening
1 c. milk
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. chopped nuts, walnuts
Mix flour, baking powder, cocoa, baking soda, cloves, cinnamon, sugar. Add: 1 c. milk 2 eggs 1 1/2 c. chopped nuts
After all mixed, make them like a size of a meatball. Place in greased pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.
=======================
ITALIAN SESAME COOKIES
Ingredients :
4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 c. sugar
1 c. shortening
4 eggs
1/4 c. orange juice or grated skin of
1 orange
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
Sesame seeds
Preparation :
Sift dry ingredients together. Add shortening and mix well. Add
juice, eggs and vanilla and mix together. Turn on floured board.
Knead a few minutes. Slice pieces of dough and roll into strips, cut
each strip about 2 inches in size. Roll each piece in sesame seeds
that have been dampened with a little water. Place on lightly
greased cookie sheet. Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 18
minutes or until lightly browned.
ITALIAN BREAD SEED COOKIES
Ingredients :
3 eggs
3/4 c. Crisco
3/4 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
5 c. flour
3 drops anise oil; optional
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
Sesame seeds
Preparation :
Mix all ingredients and roll into a long roll. Chill. Cut into
slices about 2-3 inches thick. Roll slightly and put water on
cookie and roll in sesame seeds. Bake at 350 degrees until lightly
brown.
ITALIAN SEED COOKIES
Ingredients :
12 c. flour
12 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 lbs. butter
4 1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. milk
6 tsp. vanilla
12 eggs
5 cans of sesame seeds
Preparation :
Mix flour and baking powder together. Melt butter in pan;
gradually add the sugar. Beat eggs well; add vanilla to the eggs.
In a large bowl, put butter and egg and sugar mixture. Start adding
your flour mixture to butter and eggs. Mix until all is blended.
Cover and set aside for half an hour. Then take out parts of dough
and roll out cigar shape, only smaller. Place sesame seeds on wax
paper and roll dough over seeds. Cut into 3 1/2 inch pieces. Bake
at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes. Makes about 500 cookies.
ITALIAN COOKIES WITH SESAME SEEDS
Ingredients :
1 box confectioners' sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1 lb. can Crisco
1 dash of salt
1 tsp. vanilla
5 eggs
2 lb. flour
1 box sesame seeds
Preparation :
Mix Crisco, eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla, baking powder and flour.
Roll into little balls and dip into beaten eggs and sesame seeds.
Bake at 350 degrees until brown, about 10 minutes.
=============
Tarralucci or
Lady Fingers (Italian cookies)
1993)
1 dozen extra large eggs
2 1/4 cups melted shortening (butter, margarine, and Crisco mixed together)
2 cups sugar
5 tbs pure vanilla
3 tsp orange extract
2 tsp lemon extract
4 tbsp grated orange rind
3 tbsp grated lemon rind
(the purchased variety is okay for both the rinds)
14-17 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder per cup of flour used
Whip the eggs until foamy. Add the sugar and cream well. Add the melted shortening--cool it first. Then mix in the extracts and rinds. Mix well.
Place the mixture in a very large bowl (at the very least 8 quart size). Add about half the flour and baking powder and mix well with a heavy spoon.
At this point you will probably have to begin using your hands for the mixing. Start adding the flour and baking powder 2 cups at a time and mixing well after each addition. Oil your hands to help keep the dough from sticking as you mix.
This is the tricky part, knowing when the dough has had enough flour. It should be very smooth and slightly tacky but come clean from your hand. Continue kneading the dough for about 2-3 minutes. I usually turn it out on a well floured board, oil my hands and continue kneading. It will have a slight sheen to it and be smooth--although not as smooth as bread dough and definitely not as elastic. Cover with a towel and let the dough rest for about 1/2 hour.
My grandmother taught me how to do this and I don't know if it comes across right when it is written.
To form the cookies, you can do several things. They can be made into the shape of a doughnut or a lady finger and I sometimes get tired of these and form "s". For doughnut shape - pinch off a good handful of dough and roll it into a short log in the palms of your hands. Then roll the log into a piece approximately 8 inches long and about 1/2" thick--like a rope. Do this on a board or on your table. Bring the two ends together and pinch together well so that there is not seam. You should be able to place two fingertips inside the hole of the doughnut. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees until just golden on the bottom. They will really raise. For a large (the old kind--that's all I've got) cookie sheet - you should be able to get two dozen cookies per sheet.
For lady finger shape - you don't need quite as much dough - form into a log about 3" long and 1/2" in diameter. You can get about 30 per cookie sheet.
For the "s" shape - roll out the log only slightly thinner and then wind it in from each end to the middle making sure that it sticks together at the middle.
Keep oiling your hands to prevent the dough from sticking either on the board or your hands.
ICING:
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup milk
small tsp of vanilla
small tsp of lemon extract
coloring if desired - use the paste kind rather than liquid.
Mix well. The icing should be thick runny - that is - if you lift out a handful of the icing it should form a thick ribbon from your hand. To ice the cookies usually requires two people. One person works quite quickly and ices each cookie all over. The second person either dips the cookies in shredded coconut, chopped walnuts or sprinkles non-periels (spelling) over them.
This recipe makes about 33 dozen lady fingers and slightly less tarralucci's.
Neapolitan Christmas Cookies
Straight from the the Aunt Rose, Naples files,
in Italian they are called Paste Reali..
They may take a bit of work to find all of the ingredients,
but they are truly worth it.. great cookies!
For the frosting:
For the pastries:
3/4 pound shelled almonds
1 pinch powdered cinnamon
1 2/3 cups sugar
2 fingers (of a glass) water
Edible rice paper or wafers, about 3 inches in diameter.
Silvered or colored candied almonds (you should be able to find these in a wedding supply store).
Bring some water to a boil, remove it from the fire, and soak the almonds for 5 minutes. Pat them dry and rub the skins away, then grind them by running them through a meat grinder three times, then a food mill once, sprinkling them with a little water to keep them from giving off their oil (you can also use a blender, using short bursts.
Combine the 2 fingers of water and the sugar in a pot (if it's round-bottomed, so much the better) and heat, stirring gently, until a drop of syrup poured from the spoon onto a plate does not spread out, and when crushed between thumb and forefinger forms fine threads when you separate your fingers. Add the almonds and cinnamon, and cook over a very low flame, stirring constantly, for 10 minutes. Remove the mixture from the fire and let it cool, stirring frequently. When it is almost cold, spread the it in a half-inch thick layer over the wafers, smoothing the top and sides with the blade of a knife. Depending upon the shape of your wafers you will end up with either diamond or round shaped cookies; they should be about 2 inches across at the most.
Let the cookies set for 24 hours, then trim away the excess wafer.
Prepare the icing by boiling the syrup to the stage described above. Test frequently because if you cook too long the syrup will be too hard. Once it reaches the proper degree of doneness pour the syrup into a bowl and whip it until it is white and fluffy (this takes patience). Spread the frosting over the cookies, dot each with a candied almond, and let dry.
These will keep for several days, though you can expect them to vanish first.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1528837/posts
All Soul's Day Spice Cookies
Source : Italianfoodforever
Pan dei Morti ~ These cookies, or similar variations, are found across Milan
on November 1st and 2nd for All Soul's Day and All Saint's Day
and I learned to enjoy them each year at my favorite coffee bar.
:Makes About 3 Dozen
by Deborah Mele
You can substitute almonds for the walnuts,
or lightly glaze the cookies instead of dusting with sugar as I have here.
These cookies keep well for two to three weeks in an airtight container stored in a cool place.
If you want to store them longer, place them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months.
2 1/4 Cups All-purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon Cocoa Powder
1 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
Dash Of Salt
1/4 Cup Unsalted Butter, Softened
1 Cup Sugar
1 Large Egg
1/4 Cup Orange Juice
3 Tablespoons Honey
1/2 Cup Raisins
1/2 Cup Walnuts
Powdered Sugar
Place the raisins and walnuts in a food processor, and pulse until finely chopped. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour two baking sheets, or cover them with two silicon sheets. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and spices.
In a separate bowl, beat the butter together with the sugar until blended. Add the egg, orange juice and honey and beat again until mixed. Stir in the flour and mix well. Next stir in the ground raisin and nut mixture.
Break off small pieces of dough the size of walnuts, and shape into a roll about 2 inches long. Place on one of the baking sheets, and then flatten slightly with your hand. Repeat with the remaining dough until you have shaped all of the cookies, placing them on the sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 12 minutes or until the cookies are lightly browned and set. Cool to room temperature, and then dust with the icing sugar. Store in airtight containers.
Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele 2002
Chocolate Hazelnut Meringue Cookies
Posted on 24 July 2003 at 13:33:00 by dmele. EN - Cookies - Nut Cookies
Source : Italianfoodforever
Croccantini ~ Meringue cookies can be found in pastry shops across Italy,
but the addition of melted chocolate and toasted,
chopped hazelnuts makes this version extra special.
:Makes 4 Dozen
by Deborah Mele
I find these cookies are best within a few days of baking.
1 1/2 Cups Whole Hazelnuts
3 Large Egg Whites
1/2 Cup Icing Sugar
6 Ounces Dark Chocolate (Or Semisweet)
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Toast the hazelnuts for 8 to 10 minutes or until the skins split, and the nuts just begin to take on color. Drop the nuts into a kitchen towel, and rub the nuts in the towel until they lose their skins. Finely chop the nuts, reserving about 1/3 of a cup to garnish the cookies. Butter two large cookie sheets, or cover them with silicon sheets. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, or in a small pot set in a larger one that contains simmering water. Let cool to room temperature.
In a bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Begin to add the sugar, a little at a time, continuing to beat the egg whites. Beat on high speed until the whites are stiff and gossy. Fold in the chocolate and nuts carefully. Drop the cookies by rounded tablespoons onto the cookie sheets. Sprinkle the tops with the nuts you had set aside earlier. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until the meringues are firm and dry. Cool on wire racks.
Buon Appetito!
http://www.italianfoodforever.com/iff/Default.asp
Romeo's Kisses
Source : Italianfoodforever
Baci di Romeo are small almond flavored cookies are sandwiched together in pairs with chocolate filling. Paired with Juliet's Kisses, they make a great addition to any cookie tray.
:Makes 3 1/2 Dozen
by Deborah Mele
These cookies are the opposite of Baci di Giulietta.
1/2 Pound, or 2 Sticks Unsalted Butter, Softened
1/2 Cup Icing Or Confectioner's Sugar
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Almond Extract
2 Cups All-purpose Flour
Filling:
2 Ounces Semisweet Or Dark Chocolate
2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1/3 Cup Toasted Almonds Ground
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and prepare two baking sheets either with silicon sheets, or by buttering them. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the salt and almond extract, and mix until smooth. Add the flour to the bowl, and mix just until blended. Shape the cookies by rolling small pieces of dough into 1 inch balls, and placing these one inch apart on the baking sheets. Continue shaping the cookies in this manner until you have used all of the dough. Bake the cookies until firm, about 10 to 12 minutes. Do not let the cookies brown, or they will dry out. Transfer to wire racks to cool.
To make the filling, melt the chocolate together with the butter in a double boiler, or in a small pot set over a larger one half filled with simmering water. Once the chocolate is melted and smooth, mix in the ground almonds. Spread a small bit of icing (about 1 teaspoon full) unto the flat side of one cookie, and place another cookie bottom side down onto the filling. Lightly press the cookies together, and set back onto the wire racks until the chocolate has set. Repeat this step until all of the cookies have been sandwiched together with the filling.
Note: To toast the almonds, place them on a cookie sheet, and bake for about 8 minutes or just until they begin to brown.
Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele 2002
Brutti Ma Buoni ~ Version Two
Source : Italianfoodforever
Ugly But Good Cookies ~ Version Two This is yet another traditional cookie recipe that can be found in many variations across italy.
:Makes 2 Dozen
by Deborah Mele
Although delicious, these cookies are not suitable for making too far in advance, or for freezing.
This variation uses chocolate in place of the usual chopped nuts.4 Large Egg Whites
1 Cup Sugar
3 Tablespoons All-purpose Flour
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
2 Cups Chopped Dark (Or semisweet) Chocolate
Icing Sugar (Optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon baking sheets. In a double boiler, or in a small pot placed in a larger pot with simmering water over low heat, cook the egg whites with the sugar, stirring often until the mixture is opaque. This will take about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, and beat on high speed with an electric mixer until the mixture is thickened and glossy. Fold in the flour, extract and chocolate.
Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Baking one sheet at a time, bake 25 minutes, or until the cookies are light brown. Cool on wire racks. Sprinkle with icing sugar if using, and store in an airtight container.
Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele 2002
Chocolate Spice Cookies
Posted on 18 December 2003 at 20:52:00 by dmele. EN - Cookies - Nut Cookies
Source : Italianfoodforever
These delicious cookies are common to Sicily where spices such as cinnamon and cloves are common.
They are lightly glazed with a chocolate icing and garnished with some chopped, toasted almonds.
:Makes About 30 Cookies
by Deborah Mele
1 1/3 Cups Whole Blanched Almonds
4 Cups All-purpose Flour
8 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter (About 1 Stick)
2 Ounces Unsweetened Chocolate
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
1 Cup Milk
1 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
1 Large Egg
Glaze:
1 Cup Sugar
3/4 Cup Water
6 Ounces Unsweetened Chocolate
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees F. Toast the almonds by placing them on a baking sheet and baking them in the oven until lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Remove and cool. Place 1 cup of the almonds in a food processor or blender and grind finely. Finely chop the remaining 1/3 cup of almonds.
In a small saucepan, heat the milk, butter and chocolate, and cook until completely melted over medium low heat. Remove from the heat and beat in the sugar. Cool to room temperature, and then add the egg, spices, and vanilla, mixing well. Add the flour and ground almonds and stir just until mixed.
Grease two baking sheets, and then roll a small amount of dough into 1 inch balls and place these 1 1/2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Once you have used up all of the dough, bake the cookies for 15 to 18 minutes or until puffed and set. Cool on wire racks.
Place the sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate, stirring until it has completely melted. Using a wire whisk, begin to add the powdered sugar until you have a glaze the texture of egg whites. Brush the chocolate glaze over each cookie, and then sprinkle with the chopped almonds. Let sit on wire racks until the glaze has set. Store in airtight containers.
Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele 2003
Chitellini: More cookies from Adriana
A few issues back I passed on Adriana's Sicilian Almond-Coffee cookie squares.
She has kindly sent another recipe:
Cari Italiani in tutto il mondo,
How is everyone doing?
I had a customer who recently asked me if I had a recipe for "Chitellini" and wanted to know if they were difficult to make. Here is a great traditional recipe that is very easy to make and very tasty.
Prep Time : 45min
Cook Time : 15min
Type of Prep : Bake
Cuisine : Italian
Occasion :
INGREDIENTS:
130 grams (1 cup + 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter
65 grams (1/3 cup) sugar
160 grams (1 2/3 cups) flour
65 grams (a little more than a half cup) chopped almonds
Confectioners sugar
PREPARATION:
Cream butter thoroughly. Slowly add in the sugar, flour, and chopped almonds.
Grease hands with oil (preferably corn oil) and work the dough into finger shapes. Place on greased baking sheets.
Bake in preheated oven at 185 C (375 F) until golden brown. Remove while still hot and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.
That's it!
visit Adriana's bakery's site, http://www.CookiesFromItaly.com. There's also a free newsletter. They're located in Santo Stefano Quisquina, province of Agrigento, and make a number of cookies and other delights from home-grown organic fruits and nuts, which they express mail all over the world.
Castagna cookies:
For filling combine throroughly:
1 1lb. can chickpeas, mashed through a foodmill (I slip the skins off each first)
1/4 c. sugar
1 tbsp. baking cocoa
rind of 1/2 of a tangerine, grated
1/4 c. finely chopped nuts
6 dried figs, minced
1 heaping tbsp. plum preserves
2 tbsp. dried candied fruit
1/8- 1/4 c. raisins
If the mixture isn't moist enough, add some sweet red vermouth
For dough:
Sift 1 c. + 6 tbsp. flour
with 1 tsp. baking powder.
Cut in 1 stick of butter or margarine.
Add 1 egg,
6tbsp. sugar,
1/2 tsp. cinnamon,
peel of 1/2 lemon, grated,
and about 3 tbsp. sour milk.
Dough should be soft but not sticky (if not, adjust flour or liquid). Let dough rest in fridge 1/2 hour.
Roll dough on floured surface to thickness of pie crust. Cut dough into 5 in. circles, fill, and crimp w/fork as for turnovers. Bake on a lightly greased sheet in a 375 oven for about 10- 15 minutes until golden and crisp.
SCHRAFFT'S BUTTERSCOTCH COOKIES
Many New Yorkers have such fond memories of Schrafft's large,
crisp cookies that I decided to track down some of the recipes,
particularly the one for butterscotch cookies with finely ground pecans,
which seem to have been an all- time favorite.
The formula I got produced over 10 pounds of cookies,
but I have reduced the recipe so it can be easily made in a home kitchen.
These cookies, I'm told, taste every bit as good as the originals.
Serve them with fresh fruit or berries.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter at room temperature
3/4 cup vegetable shortening at room temperature (see Note)
1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons nonfat dry milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup finely chopped pecans
INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease baking sheets.
Combine the butter and shortening in a bowl and beat for a few seconds. Add the sugar and beat until creamy. Add the egg, dry milk and vanilla and beat until light.
Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Stir with a fork to mix and lighten. Add to the butter mixture and blend well. Stir in the pecans and mix well.
Drop heaping tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart onto the baking sheet. Dip the bottom of a 3-inch diameter drinking glass into flour and use it to press the dough into a circle of the same dimension. If the dough sticks a little as you lift off the glass, scrape it from the glass and pat any bits back into the circle of dough to make it even and neatly round. Dip the glass into flour after each use.
Bake the cookies for 7 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and gently lift the cookies onto a cooling rack. Let cool completely, then store in an airtight container.
Yields about 30 cookies
Note: In the heyday of this recipe, solid vegetable shortening meant Crisco,
or a similar product. But if you are trying to avoid hydrogenated fats, there are some alternatives, such as Earth Balance Natural Shortening (we found this at Rainbow grocers), and Spectrum Organic Shortening (available at Whole Foods and other natural foods stores). Neither contains hydrogenated or trans fats, and both are suitable for baking.
PER COOKIE: 145 calories, 1 g protein, 16 g carbohydrate, 9 g fat (2 g saturated), 9 mg cholesterol, 76 mg sodium, 0 fiber. .
