Recipe -Italian cookies - Brutti ma Buoni and Baci Di Dame

Thank you for booking on to my Italian cookies class, they are delicious and a pleasure to make. Please find the ingredients and equipment list, along with the methodology. Any questions, just drop me a message. I look forward to cooking with you.

EQUIPMENT -

  • Electric whisk, Or a strong arm and a whisk ;-)

  • Bowl for mixing

  • Scales

  • Sieve

  • Parchment paper

  • Sharp kitchen knife

  • Chopping board

  • Oven

  • Baking sheet x 4, If only have 2, can re-use by cooling under running water.

  • Small tuperware

  • Sauce pan

  • Metal/glass bowl that fits over the saucepan, for melting the chocolate, can also use a microwave.

INGREDIENTS

Baci Di Dama

  • 50g plain flour

  • 15g cocoa

  • 50g butter, softened

  • 50g ground hazelnuts, You can also grind your own, make sure you get the nuts without the brown skin, and blend with the sugar in a food processor. The sugar stops it turning in to a butter.

    If you can not find the hazelnuts, ground almonds will still be delicious.

  • 50g caster sugar,

  • 70g fine milk chocolate, an switch to dark chocolate if you prefer

Brutti Ma Buoni

  • 2 x large egg whites

  • 130g caster sugar

  • 210g nuts, E.g. Pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, almonds, hazelnuts, can choose to do a mix, or one nut. (if it is the hazelnuts or the almonds have them blanched – so without the fine brown skin)

METHOD

BACI DI DAMA – ladies kisses 

1.     Place all the dry ingredients on to a clean counter and make a well.  Add the softened butter to the centre of the well. 

2.      Combine and make into log, add flour to hands if becomes sticky – you want it to be relatively dry.

3.     Wrap with cling film and place in the fridge (20 minutes minimum).

4.     Cut in to 8g pieces and form round balls, place in fridge (20 minutes minimum)

5.     Pre heat oven to 160 degrees, 

6.     Line two baking sheets with greaseproof paper and place the cooled balls on to them. 

7.     Bake for 20-25 minutes.

8.     Allow to cool on cooling rack. 

9.     Once cooled, melt the chocolate and seal two biscuits together to make the Baci Di Dama. 

 BRUTTI MA BUONI – ugly but tasty

  1.  Preheat oven to 160

  2. Line 2 baking sheets with greaseproof paper

  3. Roughly chop the nuts

  4. Whisk the egg white to soft peak

  5. Slowly add the sugar while whisking until it becomes glossy and stiff

  6. Fold in the nuts

  7.  Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, until crispy on the outside chewy on the inside.

Enjoy!