If you love to bake, then why not try your hand at
some
Italian cookies?
These cookies make a great dessert after your
Italian meal or a sweet snack to go along with your
cup of espresso. Two popular recipes are
Almond Biscotti
and
Italian Butter Cookies,
so here is how to make these two sweet treats.
Almond Biscotti
One of the more popular
Italian cookies
is
Almond Biscotti.
Truly Italian, it is often served with a cup of
coffee. You can make these to eat on your own or
share them as a gift for family and friends. You
will need to gather some ingredients to prepare
these
Italian cookies.
You will need:
• 3/4 cup of butter
• 1 cup of sugar
• 3 eggs
• 3 cups of flour
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon of anise extract
• 1 tablespoon anise seed
• 3 and 3/4 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1 cup chopped almonds (you can also substitute
walnuts if you do not have almonds)
• Optional: one ounce of rum or brandy (you will
need to add a little extra flour to make the dough
the proper consistency)
To prepare your
Italian cookies,
you will want to soften the butter in a small sauce
pan on low heat or in the microwave. Pour into a
mixing bowl. Add sugar and beat for about 30 seconds
on low, then increase to medium for an additional
two to three minutes or until the butter begins to
cream.
Add in the eggs, vanilla, and anise extract, beating
for an additional 30 seconds. In a separate bowl
combine the flour with the baking powder, chopped
nuts, and anise seed.
Add this to the cream mixture, stirring by hand
until the dough becomes stiff. Place the dough on a
floured surface and knead until it is smooth. If the
dough is sticky, add in small amounts of flour.
Once thoroughly kneaded, divide the dough into two
or three pieces and form it into long, thin rolls.
Bake the Italian cookies at 350 degrees for 15 to 20
minutes, removing when a light brown. Allow to cool
and then cut diagonally into 1/2 slices. Return to
the oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until
toasted. Cool and serve.
Italian Butter Cookies
These
Italian cookies
make for a sweet dessert or snack. You can also use
them as a holiday treat by topping with a glazed
cherry and decorative sugar for a festive look. To
bake these treats you will need:
• 1 pound of butter, softened
• 1 cup of powdered sugar
• 1 cup of finely chopped walnuts
• 3.5 cups of sifted flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Powdered sugar
To create these
Italian cookies
you will want to first soften the butter. Pour it
into a mixing bowl, adding in one cup of powdered
sugar and the vanilla. Beat for about 30 seconds on
low, and then increase the speed to medium and beat
for an additional two to three minutes so that the
butter creams. Stir in the walnuts.
Add in small amounts of flour at a time, mixing
thoroughly until the dough becomes stiff. Spoon out
portions of the dough, roll into balls, and then
press with the bottom of a glass.
Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for
15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the Italian cookies
from the pan and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
