Whether it’s cookie, pie or tart dough, I’ve been experimenting with rolling out doughs between parchment paper or plastic wrap as soon as I make the dough instead of forming the dough into a disk. Using either eliminates the need for flour and therefore, the dough scrapes can be rerolled a couple of times instead of traditionally only once.
Because the dough is already pliable, it saves time as I don’t have to wait for the disk to come back to room temperature. I also find that regardless of whether it’s disk form or rolled out, by allowing it to rest in the fridge there’s no shrinkage when baked.
2/3 cup (2.4 oz / 65 g) powdered sugar
½ cup (2.5 oz / 70 g) almond flour (or blanched and slivered, sliced or whole almonds)
1 cup (5 oz / 140 g) all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and chilled
1 large egg yolk, beaten
1 tablespoon heavy cream
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract
¾ cup seedless raspberry or apricot jam
If you don’t have almond flour, in a food processor using the metal “S” blade process the sugar and almonds until almonds are finely ground, about 20 seconds. Add flour, salt, and butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, 15 to 20 pulses.
In a small bowl whisk together egg yolk, cream, vanilla, and almond extract. Pour over the flour mixture and process until dough just begins to come together. Transfer dough to a counter and using the palm of your hand, smear the dough until it comes together. Divide dough in half and roll each piece out between 2 sheets of parchment paper to a scant 1/8-inch. Leave the dough between the parchment paper, transfer to a half-sheet pan and refrigerate at least one hour or better yet overnight.
When ready to proceed, adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Using 2-inch fluted square or round cookie cutter, cut out cookies and space ¾-inch apart on prepared sheets. Using a smaller cutter, cut out centers from half of cookies. Gather and reroll scraps. Bake until edges are lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Let cookies cool completely.
Spread bottom of each solid cookie with 1 teaspoon jam, then top with cutout cookie, pressing lightly to adhere. Let cookies set before serving, about 30 minutes.
Classic Italian Pizzelles
These pizzelles are light and crisp. Serve them plain or dusted with powdered sugar. To keep them crisp, store them in an airtight container. Makes between 28 – 30 pizzelles depending on size
1/2 cup (4 oz) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, (don’t use oil as a substitute)
1 3/4 cups (8.3 oz/ 235 g) All-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground anise seed or extract (optional)
3 large eggs
3/4 cup (5 oz) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Set a sieve over a medium bowl and sift together flour, baking powder, and ground anise seed (if using). Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl whisk together eggs and sugar. Whisk in the cooled melted butter, vanilla, and anise extract (if using instead of the anise seed). Switch to a wooden spoon and mix the flour mixture into the egg mixture. Batter will be stiff enough to be dropped by spoon. Batter can also be refrigerated to be baked off later.
When ready to proceed, heat a pizzelle iron until hot (the light goes off on mine when ready). Using a heatproof pastry brush, brush a bit of clarified butter on the top and bottom of the pan. Drop a spoonful of batter onto each side of the iron. (I used a #50 ice cream scoop, about ½ full.)
Close the lid and cook for about 30 seconds (give or take depending on your iron). Using a fork or offset spatula carefully remove to a cooling rack until the pizzelles are cold and crisp.
VARIATION PIZZELLE CON CIOCCOLATTE: Add 3 tablespoons cocoa and 3 tablespoons sugar to the basic Italian Pizzelle recipe. If desired, you may substitute chocolate flavoring instead of the vanilla and anise flavoring.