Hazelnut cookies fit for royalty
Legend has it these cookies were created by an Italian chef for royalty in the mid-1800s. The two small, round biscuits come together with a chocolate filling – a perfect kiss.
Let me introduce you to baci di dama, or “lady’s kisses”. Legend has it these cookies were created by an Italian chef for royalty in the mid-1800s. The two small, round biscuits come together with a chocolate filling – a perfect kiss.
Hailing from Piedmont, the home of hazelnuts, these cookies traditionally use hazelnut meal in equal parts with flour. While you can buy hazelnut meal at the store, roasting and blitzing your own is easy and adds a deeper flavour. Almond meal is a great substitute, though it will change the taste. The key to the dough is starting with cold butter. It may seem too crumbly at first, but with some patience it will come together.
These cookies keep well in an airtight container for up to a week, and are perfect with a strong espresso or digestif – a sweet moment of delight. You deserve it.
Try my other recipe today: snapper acqua pazza.
Baci di dama (hazelnut cookies)
You can use rice flour instead of plain flour to make these cookies gluten-free.
Ingredients
- 120g plain flour
- 120g hazelnut meal
- 80g caster sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 80g cold butter, cut into cubes
- 1 teaspoon cold water
- 80g dark chocolate
Method
- Place the flour, hazelnut meal, sugar and salt in a bowl and mix to combine. Add the cold butter and, using your hands, work it into the flour mixture. Keep mixing until the butter is fully incorporated. At this stage, add 1 teaspoon of water to help bring it together.
- Combine, then tip the mixture onto a surface and knead until it forms a dough. Be patient – it takes about 4 minutes of kneading to get a smooth, cohesive dough. If you are still finding the dough is not coming together, you can add a drop more cold water. Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
- Pinch off small amounts of dough (about 7g each if you have scales, or the size of a green olive) and roll into balls. Place on the trays, roughly 2cm apart, keeping the sizes consistent. Once all the dough has been rolled, refrigerate the trays for 30 minutes to firm up. Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan-forced). When the cookies are chilled, transfer the trays to the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, until lightly golden and set. Like most cookies, they will firm up as they cool. Leave to cool completely on the trays. Pair up the cookies according to size for easier sandwiching.
- Now for the chocolate kiss. Either melt it in the microwave or place a heatproof bowl over simmering water, ensuring the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Melt the chocolate then set aside. Place a small amount of melted chocolate on one cookie, then sandwich it with its pair. Let the chocolate set before serving.
Makes about 35 cookies