Baci di Dama - Piedmont's Lady Kisses cookies

I don't know about you, but I have been in a very low key mode this year during this holiday season. There is still so much to catch up on after a satisfyingly busy season and a more than quiet Christmas period, that I find it easy to not go too over board on making holiday foods. However saying that, I do like to make a few specialties and try some new ideas and recipes or it just wouldn't feel like the holidays. So if you are looking for a special addition to your holiday cookie plater, look no further. Baci  di Dama, which translates as Lady kisses, are an ancient traditional favorite biscotti in these parts. They are not necessarily a specially cookie made just for the holidays, as there isn't really that sort of tradition here, but are enjoyed year round. They cookies are delicately flavored with one of Piedmont's most prized nuts, the ever so enticing hazelnut, made in to small balls, baked to crumbly perfection and when cooled sandwiched together with melted dark chocolate. You can't really go wrong there in my humble opinion. I think you will find these little "kisses" will become a star in your holiday cookie repertoire. The sparse ingredients, in which hazelnut plays the staring role, belie their delicious nature. Whenever I go to Colorado, I find hazelnut or filberts as the cultivated version are called in the states, are one of the most elusive ingredients to find in the wild west. If you are blessed to have access to them, do try these, as they look lovely mixed in any cookie platter or as a star in their own right. I know every time I have opened the cookie tin when someone has stopped by for coffee or if my mother in law is over, the little sigh of recognition and anticipation is more than worth the effort. 

This recipe which came from a friend of Fabrizio's, is in grams, which I find so much more accurate than the much faster scoop method of cups and spoons, but I have attempted to put it into ounces when I can and close enough cup or tablespoon format. It will probably need a little adjusting to your technique, but worth it.

Baci di Dama - Lady Kisses

Ingredients:

180 g ((1 cup / 6.3 oz)) sugar (I will use 160 g or 3/4 cup next time as I felt these were too sweet)
150 g (1 1/4 cup /5.3 ox) all purpose or plain flour 80 g (5.5 Tb or 2.8oz) butter, room temperature 100 g (3.5 oz) hazelnuts or filberts, lightly toasted, just barely any color
100 g(3.5-4 oz) dark chocolate, melted

Method:

Lightly toast your whole or pieces of hazelnuts in a medium hot oven or on top of the stove in a pan, shaking frequently so toast evenly. Set aside till cool. 

In a food processor ( I used my attachment for my immersion blender), add the sugar and the nuts and blend till evenly ground to a fine sandy texture.

Beat your room temperature butter by hand or with a mixer till smooth and light (yes, I did it by hand, with a flat whisk).

Mix the sugar and nut mixture into the butter and when thoroughly blended, add the flour. 

Blend well to incorporate the flour, but don''t over handle.

Shape your dough into small nickel sized /1 inch balls and place on baking sheets. Give the a slight press downward to help them stay in place and not roll around when moving the tray, I set my trays in the cold for a little while to make sure the dough was firmed up before baking.  

**The cookies in the photo were just a little too large, so next time this should yield a few more cookies. I got 25 sandwiched cookies this time but can see it increasing next time.

Bake the cookies in a 320*F / 160*C oven till just beginning to get color. Be careful not to over bake them. The recipe called for 15-20 minutes in a conventional oven. I have a convection oven and that was way too long, as it dried them out and made them hard. Certainly not inedible, but better when they crumble.

Once the cookies have cooled you can pipe or spread an abundant amount of melted chocolate on flattened cookie half and place another flatten half together with it. Once the chocolate has cooled, it will firm up and hold the cookies together. I know some people like to use Nutella or milk chocolate , but it doesn't always firm up as nicely as dark chocolate.

Enjoy them with a little cup of espresso and think of us in the Alps of Piemonte.

May Day and and Multi Frolla Cookie Crust

A happy, albeit somewhat soggy. "May Day" to all of you out there. I do hope you are still there. We have had odd weather, like most of the rest of the world, in that we seemed to have had a couple of weeks of summer back in March only to have April with more than it's fair share of showers, bone chilly too. That is normal, although it usually is broken up with more sun with warm and wavering temperatures. Oh well, at least the flowers are still blooming and furry creatures still want to scamper about. 

I wanted to share a recipe I have been working on ever since I stumbled across some multi cereal cookie bars in a bakery we popped our head in to a few weeks back. I'm not sure I have replicated their recipe, as mine seems far darker than their buttery, flavorful bars, but we found these to be quite tasty and thought you might enjoy them as well. My original recipe is in grams, as I have happily adopted what I think we were foolish not to adopt in America, the metric system. In cooking it just makes life, well actually baking,  so much easier, as it is so much easier to get even number to divide in and out and balance a ratio when needs be. I still seem to think in terms of cups as a first basis, as the lifetime of imprinting never seems to completely fade. I don't think I will ever get all that familiar with temperatures in Celsius other than hot or cold, as the temperature subtleties relating to outside temperatures are lost on me. I said all of that to say this... the cups and oz in the recipe may need slight adjusting as they don't always come out exact when adjusting on a conversion chart. The only thing you might need to adjust would be the amount of flour. If it seems like the cookies are spreading too much when baking add a little more flour when rolling out. I think it should be fine though. 

I didn't know what to call this recipe as it is a basic Italian pasta frolla dough, which here is used for making sweet tarts or pies and is in reality a cookie dough and so makes delicious cookies as well with a little adjusting. I didn't want to call it multi cereal as it had seeds also and I made a single crust apple tart with the dough as wel, so the name multi frolla cookie crust was born. Feel free to try other flours.  I really love the buckwheat flour here and am always trying to find more ways to use it. This being polenta country it seemed like a natural mix with the buckwheat. I think they gave it an intriguing flavor with the seeds giving it a nice bite. I think spelt or farro would be another nice addition or change. Give it a whirl and see what you think. The cookies were crispy for a few days and softened as they sat in my cookie tin. The softening is a good thing when used as a tart crust so that your tart doesn't go skittering across the plate when cutting it. The photo at the bottom of the post is a very simple apple tart that I normally add a crumb topping but didn't this time. I just thinly slice apples on to the prepared tart crust drizzle a fair amount of marsala wine over the apples and add a crumb topping. I keep it simple so the flavor of the crust comes through.  Without the crumb topping the tart is only slightly sweet and your apples may get a little brown, but it makes for a flavorful and not so sweet afternoon snack and dessert. i think the cookies would taste great sandwiched together with a dab of apricot jam. The possibilities are endless. So be my guest and enjoy my multi purpose "Multi Frolla Cookie Crust"

Multi Frolla Cookie Crust

Yield: 36 cookies approximately and 1-10” / 25cm crust

Ingredients

¾ c / 125 g Sugar, granulated

14T or 9 oz / 200 g Butter, softened 

2 Eggs

1 tsp vanilla

½ c / 70 g buckwheat flour

½ c / 70 g cornmeal

1 T / 10 g each of sesame seeds, light and dark flax seeds, (3T / 30 g total)

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

2 ¼ c / 300 g flour, pastry, all purpose, plain

Method:

Place sugar with the butter in a medium to large mixing bowl.

With a whisk or hand mixer, cream until fluffy. Normally, I do this by hand, of course you can use a hand mixer.

Add two eggs along with vanilla and incorporate thoroughly.

Mix your 3 types of flour with your baking powder and salt before adding to you wet ingredients.

Mix until it starts to come together.

Finish by bringing the dough together with some flour on your hands, either in the bowl or on the table with a light dusting of flour.

Gingerly, knead into a smooth dough.

Flatten into a rectangle, divide in half if you want two uses and cover in a bag or your bowl.

Refrigerate for about a half an hour to an hour.

You can let this sit overnight as well if you wan to prepare ahead.

I used half for cookies one day and a couple days later made a tart out of the other refrigerated half.

Roll out on lightly floured table or between parchment paper for ease.  Make sure you keep lightly flouring and lifting the dough so it doesn’t stick to the table or paper.

Work somewhat quickly so you don’t let the dough get too warm as it will become sticky and more difficult to manage.

Roll out to about 1/4” (1/2 cm), thicker if you like.

Cut into shapes or bar lengths. I cut out scalloped rounds and cut out the center. The tiny centers fit perfectly on a small espresso cup and saucer. I also made some bars for dipping in our cappuccinos as well.

Bake at 350*F / 190* C for 8 -10 minutes depending on how thick your dough is and how quickly your oven bakes. Mine is convection and tends to bake quite fast. 

Nutella Bullseyes for World Nutella Day 2012

Here we are again on February 5th, at what has come to be known as World Nutella Day according to 2 bloggers, Sara and Michelle that I have come to know through their blogs and other various cyber space adventures. In their own words, "Sara from Ms. Adventures in Italy and Michelle from Bleeding Espresso solemnly declare Sunday, February 5th “World Nutella Day 2012″ – a day to celebrate, to get creative with, and most importantly, to EAT Nutella." You can find them on Facebook, Twitter (hashtag #nutelladay) and over at the WND site all day sharing what's going on today.
This is the 6th year they have hosted this event, exhorting  one and all to indulge in what is one of Italy's most beloved treats, Nutella, in any way you see fit, but most of all enjoying it. This is my 5th year to participate. You'll find some links to my other recipes through the years at the bottom of the post. 
Nutella is a fairly sacred household staple in most Italian homes, especially if there are children still at home. It's a staple in our house and we're the only children indulging. It is quite beloved through out Europe as well with Germany being the number one consumer of Nutella. The formula varies from locations and tends to be a stiffer version as you go north and even in America as well, but here in Italy, it is a super creamy chocolate hazelnut spread suitable for spreading on all sorts of things. This year I chose to spread it between two layers of semi crispy cookie layers with the top having a heart cut out of it for a peek a boo effect that would be perfect for using for Valentine's day also. I can't imagine anyone turning away from one of these.  
Nutella has a special place in our hearts here in Piedmont as it was born here in nearby Alba. The combination of milk chocolate and hazelnut was born in Turin due to necessity. Napoleon's blockade made  chocolate supplies difficult and necessitated a  way to stretch the chocolate that the Torinese so loved. Hazelnuts were a natural addition as our region especially from the Langhe territory grew ample supplies of them. It wasn't long before this combination came to be a symbol of Torino. Nutella was born in Alba as a creamier version of the original Gianduja. It was due to shortages due to WWII and the desire to stretch  the favored treat that Nutella was born into the Ferrero family in Alba. There are many claims to the various origins of both Gianduja and Nutella but that is the general story line from my understanding. I found Wikipedia a bit lacking and not really authenticated in its various descriptions. 
Our home here in Chisone valley is a part of the vast  province of Torino and part of Piedmont,  so chocolate hazelnut combinations are an important part of our identity and traditions. That is one of the reasons I enjoy participating in  world Nutella day. I think you will enjoy my recipe for Occhie di Bui con Nutella cookies and if you want to know more about Nutella and have a few more recipes, Sara and Michelle have also put together an inexpensive and fun "Unofficial Guide to Nutella" ebook available at Amazon and you don't need a kindle to read it, just a computer. Check it out.
My recipe for my Nutella Sandwich Cookies was born out of a local cookie specialty called Occhie di Bui or Bull's Eyes. The original cookie consists of two small cookie disks, one that has a disk cut out of the center and the are sandwiched together with jam, usually apricot or cherry, with the tops dusted with powdered sugar. They  seem to give the appearance of an eye or a bullseye. I ran with that theme, making my cookie dough, which here is called a pasta frolla, a combination of ricotta and butter base and used some buckwheat flour for a more unique and wintery flavor. This recipe will work just fine using all butter and all white flour if you prefer, but I think you'll find the buckwheat is a welcome addition. The cookies are not extremely sweet if you forego the powdered sugar and I think you will find them tasty either way with a steaming strong cup of coffee or tea. Oh yes, I used a small heart cutter to cut out the center for a heartfelt treat. The cookies store well in a tin and retained their gently snap over night,  although I think over time they will soften up. 

Nutella Bullseyes or Occhio di Bue con Nutella

Makes 24 - 2 inch/ 4cm sandwiched cookies and several small hearts
Ingredients:

1/2c (100g)butter, room temperature
2/3c (125g) sugar, I like organic raw cane sugar, but granulated is fine
1/2c (100g) ricotta
1 t vanilla
1 whole egg
1 yolk
3/4c (115g) buckwheat flour
1 1/2c (220g) white flour
2 t baking powder
pinch salt
**Nutella, enough to sandwich the layers together
I used almost half of a 400g jar of Nutella
Powdered sugar, optional if you prefer a less sweet cookie

Method:
Cream your butter together with the sugar till smooth. I mix mine with a flat whisk by hand. If using an electric mixer, don’t whip too much just till it is light and mixed well.
Add the ricotta and and vanilla. Mix well.
Add the whole egg and yolk and mix till completely incorporated.
Blend the 2 flours, baking powder and salt till all is distributed.
Combine the dry ingredients with the egg butter mixture thoroughly mixing, being careful not to handle too much.
Divide the  dough into 2 equal portions, flatten, place back into to your blow, cover and refrigerate the dough for about ½ hour. It will be easier to roll out.
Remove one disk of dough from the cold and keep the other in the fridge while you roll out the disk between sheets of plastic wrap or wax paper, being careful to work as quickly as you can so the dough doesn’t become too warm and sticky. Return dough to the cold if too soft to handle.
You can also roll it out on a floured surface being careful not to pick up and add much flour into to your dough.
You want the dough to be about ¼”/1cm thick.

Too thick and they won’t be so crispy and a big mouthful.

Cut out round disks with a 2 ½ inch (6cm) scalloped cookie or biscuit cutter and lay disks out on greased or paper baking sheets. My trays held about 20 cookies each.
Continue with the second disk till you have used up your dough. I also gathered up my dough scraps and rerolled them to use up all the dough. Keep at least half of the cookies as cold as you can while you roll the others out as it will make it easier when cutting the centers out.
Once you have all the dough cut out and on trays, Take half of your cookies and cut the center out with a small heart or round cutter about 1inch (3 1/2cm). You want to have enough border to keep the cookie together and yet have enough removed to see your Nutella inside.
I kept the heart cut outs intact and baked them as they were.
Bake at 325*F (180*) till lightly brown, about 10 minutes. I am not entirely sure of the time as I have a convection oven that bakes quickly so I tend to bake them on a lower temperature for a shorter time. A regular oven temperature and time may vary. You might need a 350* oven.
Cool so they are manageable and won’t break, but while they are still slightly warm spread your Nutella over the bottoms of the whole disks. The top will sit flat if you use the bottom of your cookies to cover with Nutella.** I use Nutella straight out of my jar as it is super creamy. If your variety isn’t you could soften it up with a little honey or a few drop of vegetable oil.
If you want to dust the tops of your cookies with powdered sugar, do so with a sieve or small strainer before you top the cookies that have the Nutella spread over them.
Other wise top all of your cookies with the cut outs.
I also spread Nutella over half of the heart cookies and sandwiched them together.
Serve with espresso or your favorite hot beverage. 

Prepping the cookies

My previous Nutella day recipe links

• 2011 Nutella Crumb Crostata 
• 2010 Nutella Cornetti 
• 2009 Banana Nutella Cakelettes
• 2008 Bugie Piemontese style

Anise Orange Biscotti

I always try to have a stash of cookies lurking in my assorted cookie tins for that unexpected drop in visitor that makes it seem that we were just waiting for them to visit. Home made cookies always seem to delight everyone, elevating the shared drink from pleasant to memorable.  I often have friends asking me to bring those cookies around again that they had at our house or that I brought round for Christmas, you remember them don't you? Oftentimes I don't as I like to cycle through a variety of cookies and by the time someone is reminding me about them, I am on to the next round of new favorites, or wading through some of the old favorites scribble on the various scraps of paper tucked in to my various notebooks. These anise orange cantucci, if you will, is still one, my neighbors, ask for longingly. Cantucci is what the twice baked cookies that we generically call biscotti in America, are actually called in Italy. They are most well known in Tuscany as basic almond variety that are usually served with  a sweet vin santo (blessed wine) at the end of a meal, for a light ending to a meal. Biscotti to Italians, just means what American s call cookies and the Brits call biscuits. I just call them delicious and think you will as well.

These biscotti are just the right sweet fix you might want to  indulge in after all the Easter excess of chocolate bunnies and eggs.  Simple and satisfying, cut into tiny dippers for your espresso or large batons suitable for dunking in your caffe latte or milky tea and you will probably find they are so irresistible you might need to hide the cookie tin somewhere to make it difficult to polish off the whole batch at one sitting. Flavorful and yet, not too sweet or rich that dunking them into your favorite hot beverage will have you heating up the kettle at all hours of the day and night just to dunk these delicately flavored numbers again and again. I don't go over board on the the anise flavor as I prefer a more subtle note that leaves you tasting the various flavors and not hidden by just one. Do feel free to add more to suit your taste if you will. If you remember to form them into 4 narrow logs instead of two fat ones, you will be rewarded with small bites that fit well in an espresso cup or a platter of various other bites. You could also dip one half in white or dark melted chocolate to up the decadence, but I preferred to have them as their humble self, suitable even for breakfast in the traditional Italian way. What ever way you prefer, I think you'll be adding this to your treasure trove of cookie recipes.

Anise Orange Biscotti
yields about 48  or so small bite size
or about 30 large batons

Ingredients:

150g (2/3c) butter, room temperature
325g (1 1/2c) sugar, I used a blond cane sugar, but regular sugar is fine
3 eggs
5g (2 tsp) anise seeds
2 tsp anise extract
12g (2 T) orange zest
pinch salt 
11g (3 tsp) baking powder
630g-650g (4 1/2c) flour, plain/all purpose


Method:
Cream butter and sugar together in a medium large mixing bowl.
I use a flat whisk by hand but an electric mixer is fine. Just don't mix too long.
You want it light, but not whipped like a frosting.
Add the eggs and blend well.
Add the anise seeds, orange zest, anise extract, pinch salt and blend.
Add the flour and baking powder.
Stir to form a dough.
Dust your table surface with flour.
Turn the dough onto the table.
Dust your hands with flour and divide dough into 2 or 4 even portions.
Form the portions into long even logs the length of your baking dish.
You can either lightly butter and flour a baking sheet or use baking paper to cover the tray.
Place two logs on each tray.
Pat them to be fairly smooth on top and even widths.
Make another tray the same way so you have two trays and 4 logs.
Bake the logs in a preheated moderate oven 325*  for 20 minutes or so until the logs are a light golden brown.
Remove from the oven and cool slightly. If you press the top middle log and it seems not cooked all the way through, return then to the oven and continue to cook till completely cooked all the way through.
Remove and cool slightly to be able to handle.
With a serrated knife cut each log on a 45* angle into 1/2" slices. The more angle the longer the finished cookie will be.
When you have them all cut, turn the slices on their side and return to the oven to bake a second time to bake completely through and light golden brown.
Cool before storing or dipping in melted tempered chocolate if desired.

Cooks notes*
Do cut the biscotti while they are warm for the best results. Too cool and they will crumble when you try and cut them if over baked.
Better to under bake the biscotti slightly the first time baking them, so they are easier to cut.
Too under cooked and the center of the cookie will be hard when you bake them the second time.
Still delious, but not ideal.