Baci di Dama
Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time: 19 minutes
Yield: 36 cookies
Ingredients:
Baci di Dama Cookies:
1 cup +3 tablespoons hazelnut* or almond flour (114 grams)
1 cup less 1 ½ tablespoons cake flour (114 grams)
½ cup unsalted butter, softened (114 grams)
⅞ cup powdered sugar (114 grams or 1 cup less 2 tablespoons)
*I used Bob’s Red Mill Hazelnut Flour, finely ground. Almond flour may also be used.
Gianduja Filling:
1 ½ ounces semisweet chocolate (45 grams)
1 ½ ounces milk chocolate (45 grams)
2 tablespoons milk
¼ cup powdered sugar (35 grams)
¼ cup hazelnut flour (18 grams)
Directions:
Baci Di Dama Cookies:
Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Place the hazelnut and cake flours in the food processor bowl. Process for several seconds to mix well. Add the butter in pieces and the powdered sugar. Process until it clumps up or forms a dough.
Remove it from the processor and knead it several times.
Divide it into 4 pieces, each one about 114 grams. Keep the other pieces covered with plastic wrap. Roll one piece into a 12" rope. It will be 18" long. Cut it into 1" pieces and roll each into a ball. The balls will be about the size of a malted milk ball. Place the balls 1" apart on the prepared baking sheets. Repeat with the other 3 pieces of dough.
Bake for 19 to 22 minutes until firm and barely colored. Cool on racks.
Gianduja Filling:
Combine the chocolates and milk in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at ½ power until the chocolate is just melted. Add the powdered sugar and hazelnut or almond flour, stirring to make a spreadable filling. If too thick, loosen with a little milk. If too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar.
Assembly:
Pair the cookies by size.
The easiest way to fill the cookies is with a piping bag fitted with a ¼" plain tip. Pipe about ½ teaspoon filling on the bottom cookies. Place the top on and press down lightly to distribute the filling evenly to the edge of the cookies.
Yield: 36 Baci di Dama. These cookies are great keepers. They will last for weeks in a closed tin.
Notes:
It is best to use purchased fine Hazelnut Flour for these cookies.
Unsalted butter is a must here. European butter is a plus; American unsalted butter is also fine.
Make sure the butter is room temperature, or it will be difficult to combine the ingredients in the processor.
The cookies should not brown except on the edges.
They should be firm when finished baking.
Leftover filling can be loosened with a bit more milk and makes an excellent topping for pound cake or ice cream.
Recipe FAQ’S
What is Gianduja?
Gianduja refers to an Italian combination of hazelnuts and chocolate, usually milk chocolate. It is used as a filling, or it can be a component in a cake.
What is the difference between American and European Cookies?
There are several. Europeans rarely use a leavening agent such as baking powder or baking soda. When they do, it is often Ammonium Carbonate or Baker’s Ammonia, which adds a crispness to the cookies.
Egg yolks are often used instead of the whole eggs, and European cookies use fewer ingredients in the main than do American cookies, and they rarely use salt. Both are delicious.
What is the most used ingredient in European cookies?
Butter. They also often use powdered or confectioner’s sugar rather than granulated or brown sugar.
Nutritional Facts:
Calories: 78kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 1gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 1mgPotassium: 16mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 81IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 7mgIron: 0.3mg
Recipe courtesy of Pastries Like A Pro.com
