Playing with Cookie Dough - "Licorice" Sugar Cookies

I like to play with cookie dough.  I am sure this harkens back to my childhood and many hours playing with clay and Playdough.  But now that I am all growed up and stuff, I don't make elephants or clowns, I play with the flavor of the dough instead.

This sort of experimentation has brought forth such favorites as Rose Water Sugar Cookies, Green Tea Shortbreads and my ultimate favorite Roasted Garlic and Asiago Shortbread.... On the flip side, it has also spawned more heinous creations such as Bacon Cinnamon Sugar Cookies (too greasy) and Sweet Potato Shortbread (really really).  This time I played it fairly safe.  I was messing with Sugar Cookies and decided to give them a sort of Pizzelle flavor, thus a little Anise seed.  Then on a whim, I decided that a few almonds might be nice.  Honestly, the chocolate was an afterthought and I am still not convinced that it necessarily "compliments" the cookies or not.  I think White Chocolate might be nice, but it depends on your personal tastes. 

Don't be afraid of these cookies.  The Anise is very mild since there is no extract being used, just the seeds.  They have more of a light "kiss" of Licorice.

"Licorice" Sugar Cookies

3/4 cup (6 oz) (170 g) Unsalted butter
1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
3/4 cup (5.25 oz) (150g) Granulated Sugar
1/2 cup (2 oz) (55g) Slivered Almonds
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 tsp Anise Seeds
2 Large Eggs
2 1/2 cups (11 oz) (312g) AP Flour
optional - 1/3 cup Chocolate Chips
optional - sliced almonds

Beat the Butter, Salt and Granulated Sugar together until fluffy.

Add Almonds and beat again.

Add Vanilla Extract and Anise Seeds, then beat yet again, until the seeds are well dispersed.

Add Eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition to ensure the emulsion doesn't break.

Add all the flour and stir in slowly to avoid the "puff" cloud.

Once everything is all nice an homogeneous, turn the dough out onto waxed paper and form a square.

Wrap it up in the waxed paper and store in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, but preferably 1 hour.
Preheat your oven to 350 F degrees, then turn the chilled dough out onto a lightly floured surface.

Roll to 1/8 inch thick.

Cut rounds of about 2 1/2 inches.

Place on a parchment lined baking sheet (or an ungreased AirBake sheet)

Bake for 10 minutes.
Move the cookies to a rack and cool completely.

If desired, drizzle with melted Chocolate and sprinkle with sliced Almonds.

Mangia!!
~~

The Seventh Wonder of The Waffle World - Pizzelle

I was filtering through the last 2 1/2 years of Blog posts yesterday morning and realized that I never finished the Waffle tour.  Oh, I covered Dutch Stroopwafel, Danish FlødeValfer (Sour Cream Waffles), PiskeFlødeValfer (Whipped Cream Waffles) and my Mom's Nutty Spelt Waffles.  I even tried to set the record straight about the dubious "Belgian" Waffle; promoting their true forms, being Brussels and Liège Waffles.  But I realized that I have missed a few "waffles" out there.  Isvafler being one of them (Danish Ice Waffles), along with Norwegian Krumkaker and the ever delicious Pizzelle of Italy.  All three of these waffles tend to be more of a cookie, like Stroopwafels, but they are waffles none the less.

Thus, I decided to tackle the Pizzelle today.  You will have to wait for Isvafler until the Marionberries come into season later this year.  (sorry)

Hailing from Abruzzo region of Italy, the Pizzelle (peet-ZEL-ey) is one of the oldest cookies in existence.  Sometimes they are called Ferratelle due to their being baked in an iron (Ferrium) press.  But "Pizzelle" seems to be the most common usage.  These delightfully crisp cookies are a traditionally flavored with anise seeds, though Lemon, Orange, Vanilla are pretty common nowadays as well.  Heck, you can even make chocolate ones, though I find it hard to tell when they are browned properly...  ;)

Me? I like a nice combination of anise and lemon...  Meyer Lemon that is.  YUM!

Because they are soft when first removed from the iron, they can be rolled around a form when hot and allowed to cool into their crispiness, retaining said shape they were formed into.  This is great if you have some licorice ice cream lying around, as they can very easily be rolled into a cone shape.  The perfect edible vehicle for your Gelato.

Pizzelle

4 large eggs
1 cup (8 oz) (225 g) Granulated Sugar
7 oz (195 g) Melted Butter
Juice and Zest of 1 Meyer Lemon (if using a regular lemon, use only half)
1 TB Anise Seeds
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Pinch of Salt
1 3/4 cups plus 1 TB (8 oz) (225 g) AP Flour
2 cups (8 oz) (225 g) Cake Flour

Place Eggs and Sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer with a whisk attachment.

Whisk together until light and ribbony. (about 5 minutes)

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a glass pitcher or small saucepan and set aside.
Zest the Meyer Lemon, squeeze out the juice and combine in a small ramekin with Anise Seeds, Vanilla Extract and a pinch of Salt.

In a medium bowl combine the AP Flour and Cake Flour, whisking to aerate well.

Once the Egg/Sugar mixture is pale and ribbony, slowly pour the butter in a thin stream (You are trying to create an emulsion) with the mixer on medium-high speed.

Once you have added all the butter, pour in the Lemon/Anise Seed mixture and continue whisking on medium speed until well combined.

At this point, you should probably plug in your Pizzelle iron.
Remove the whisk attachment and replace it with the paddle, turn the mixer to low and begin adding the Flour mixture, a little at a time to prevent a Flour Bomb from exploding in your kitchen.

Once all the Flour has been incorporated, remove the bowl from the mixer stand and grab 2 spoons (Soup spoons that is)

 

To load up a Pizzelle Iron simply scoop up a heaping spoon of the batter.

Use the other spoon to scrap it off the first spoon and onto the hot iron in a single blob.

OR - You can use a cookie scoop... LOL

Close the iron and press lightly to spread the batter (I have to press on mine a little because the lid section isn't very heavy)

 This is what it looks like after the batter spreads. (Just so's ya know)

Allow the Pizzelle to "bake" for approximately 1 1/2 minutes until golden brown.

Remove carefully from the iron (They are very soft and bendy) and lay them flat on a cooling rack to allow them to crisp up (like tuile cookies)

Then kick back with a nice cup of Earl Grey and enjoy!

Mangia!!
~~