An Italian Cookie Christmas

Ten Italian Christmas Cookie Recipes To Share

An Italian Cookie Christmas Katelyn Plecker & Sheri Burlison

Ten Italian Christmas Cookie Recipes To Share

AN ITALIAN COOKIE FILLED CHRISTMAS Katelyn Plecker & Sheri Burlison

Ten Italian Christmas Cookie Recipes to Share

AN ITALIAN COOKIE FILLED CHRISTMAS Katelyn Plecker & Sheri Burlison

Copyright © 2014 by Katelyn Plecker & Sheri Burlison Photographs copyright © by Katelyn Plecker Illustrations copyright © by Katelyn Plecker Introduction copyright © by Katelyn Plecker Cookie Recipes Copyright © 2007–14 www.CookingWithNonna.com Copyright © Muscarella Family Recipes Copyright © 2012 The Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be produced – mechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopying – without written permission of the publisher.

Published and compiled by Katelyn Plecker Design by Katelyn Plecker with inspiration from The Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook by Cheryl Day & Griffith Day Typefaces: Univers 55 Roman, Minion Pro, Helvetica, Chunk Five

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AN ITALIAN COOKIE FILLED CHRISMAS

For my mother.

Our time baking together means more to me than you'll ever know.

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CONTENTS

C o p y R i g h t Pa g e Introduction T h e B a k e r ’s To o l K i t General Ingredients List Ricotta Cheese Cookies Butter y Rolled Nutella Cookies Almond Raviolli Chocolate Macaroons Brocche Di Dama Anginette Cassatedde Italian Knot Cookies Italian Sugar Cookies Crumiri Pa c k a g i n g

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It is from the bottom of my heart that I thank my great grandmothers Ruth and Shirley, my grandmothers Pam and Denise, and my mother Sheri for bringing the joy of baking into the kitchen.

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AN ITALIAN COOKIE FILLED CHRISMAS

INTR ODUC TION

Since I can remember my mother had me at her side helping in the kitchen. She always told me, “My Mother and Grandmothers taught me how to cook and it’s my turn to pass the knowledge down to you”. Even before I had reached my teen years I would always be the volunteer cracking the eggs, beating the dough, or whisking the heavy cream. With the care and attention that my mother gave me, I have obtained more than general skills when it comes to baking. If you’ve ever visted my house during December, you understand the importance of baking in my family.

Every single Christmas my mother and I bake anywhere from ten to twenty different kinds of Christmas Cookies at two dozen a piece. After completing each batter we divide the cookies up into decorative holiday baskets and hand them out to family as a gift of love. With the memories that I have experienced with my mom I am able to cook on my own in my first apartment as an independent college student. I look forward to the days when I have my own children and can teach them what my mother and grandmothers have taught me. Coming from an Italian family we try to maintain our traditions and that is what my mother and I do with our annual Cookie baking party. With the Italian Christmas Cookie recipes in this book I hope the readers feel a sense of inspiration and take them into their homes during the holidays to share.

THE BAKER ’S TOOL KIT

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KitchenAid Mixer

Large Cookie Sheet(s)

Parchment Paper

Large Mixing Bowl(s)

Wire Rack

Measuring Cups

Small Mixing Bowl(s)

Mini Baking Cups

Straight Spatula

Small Metal Spatula

Rolling Pin

Liquid measuring cups

Butter Knife

Sealed Jar

Wire Wisk

AN ITALIAN COOKIE FILLED CHRISMAS

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GENER AL INGREDIENTS LIST

Salt

Eggs

Confectioners Sugar

Nutmeg

Milk

Sugar Crystals

Cinnamon

Half and Half

Nutella Spread

Almond paste

Flour

Unsweetened Chocolate

Vanilla Extract

Almond flour

Crisco or Lard

Lemons

Baking Powder

Amarene (wild Cherries)

Orange Juice

Ricotta Cheese

White wine

Vegatble Oil

Butter

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Ricotta Cheese Cookies TENDER, LIGHT, AND FLUFFY

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1½ cup confectioners’ sugar

1 cup margarine or butter, softened

2 large eggs

3 tablespoons milk

4 cups allpurpose flour

red and green sugar crystals (If making for the holidays)

1 container (15 ounce size) ricotta cheese

2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat sugar and margarine or butter until blended. Increase speed to high; beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. At medium speed, beat in ricotta, vanilla, and eggs until well combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour, baking powder, and salt; beat until dough forms.

Drop dough by level tablespoons, about 2 inches apart, onto ungreased large cookie sheet. Bake about 15 minutes or until cookies are very lightly golden (cookies will be soft). With pancake turner, remove cookies to wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough.

When cookies are cool, prepare icing: In small bowl, stir confectioners’ sugar and milk until smooth. With small metal spatula or knife, spread icing on cookies; sprinkle with red or green sugar crystals.

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AN ITALIAN COOKIE FILLED CHRISMAS

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Buttery Rolled Nutella Cookies FULL OF NUTELLA FLAVOR

3½ cups allpurpose flour

¾ cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 sticks of salted butter

1½ cups nutella spread (use a little more-almost two of the regular size containers)

²/3 cup milk

Preheat oven to 340°F In food processor (or KitchenAid Mixer with the Paddle attachment) process together the flour, baking powder, powdered sugar and butter in short pulses, until you get a flaky mixture. (tip: add one teaspoon of good vanilla) Add the milk and continue processing using short pulses, just until the dough is formed.

Divide the dough into 3 equal parts. Roll out each one of them (on a floured board and floured rolling pin) to a rectangle ½cm (¹/5 inch) thick.

Spread the Nutella (if the spread is too thick, heat it up in the microwave for 10-15 seconds or more, keep an eye on it) on each one of the 3 dough parts, roll each part into a log. Place the logs (the “clean”, stitchless side up) on a big baking pan with a piece of parchment paper on it. Or a pan with a light butter spray on it.

Give them space apart from each roll.

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Using a knife, mark slots on each log, a gap of 2 cm (0.8 inch) separates between each slot. This step makes cutting the cookies after baking very easy. Just make slight indentations, don’t cut into it or the Nutella will come through when baking.

Bake for 25-35 minutes, until golden. Make sure not to over bake. Cool for 30 minutes. Powder them with powdered sugar. Using the slots we’ve marked, slice the cookies, they slice nicely with a sharp knife and they wont fall apart. Keep in a sealed jar at room temperature.

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Almond Ravioli MADE WITH LOTS OF LOVE

dough

filling

1 lb flour

zest of 1 lemon

1½ lb almond paste

½ lb crisco or lard

3 eggs

3 egg whites

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1½ cups powdered sugar

1 bag vanilla pane degli angeli or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

milk as needed – about ¼ cup

½ cup granulated sugar ¼ cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375°F Dough: In a bowl, mix all the dough ingredients and add as much milk as necessary to make the dough soft and elastic. Cover it and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Take a small ball of dough the size of a golf ball and roll it in your hand. With your finger, press and indentation into the dough and fill it with the filling. Cover the filling with the dough on the sides of the ball and roll it again in your hands. Place it on a baking sheet and with the palm of your hand press it down. Make all your cookies and bake them at 375°F for about 10 Minutes.

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Filling: Mix the almond paste, the egg whites and the sugars together.

At the end fold in the chocolate chips Garnish with powdered sugar.

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Chocolate Macaroons TASTE THE COCONUT CRUNCH

1/3 stick butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup flour

2 squares chocolate

2 eggs

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 400°F Melt butter in sauce pan on low heat and then add chocolate squares. Melt until blended and then remove from heat.

In a bowl, add sugar and then pour warm chocolate over sugar. Mix. Add eggs, vanilla, baking powder and flour. Mix to dough consistency. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

In a bowl (use a Pyrex pie plate) add approximately 1 to 1½ cups confectioners' sugar. Break small pieces of dough into the size of a walnut and roll into balls. Roll balls in confectioners' sugar. Bake on parchment lined cookie sheets for 5 minutes on middle rack of oven.

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Bocche Di Dama FULL OF ALMOND FLAVOR

dough

icing

1 lb almonds

3 egg whites

silver mini dragees

½ lb sugar

1 cup amarene (or wild cherries soaked in rum for 30 min.)

mini baking cups

zest of 2 lemons

Preheat oven to 375°F To prepare the paste, boil the almonds and remove the peel. Once they are cold and somewhat dry, put them in a food processor or a blender and chop them finely. Put the chopped almonds in a bowl; add the lemon zest, the sugar and egg whites. Mix until the egg whites dilute the sugar and the mixture becomes a paste.

Take a lump of mixture in your hand; roll it into a ball the size slightly smaller than a golf ball. Press your finger into the ball, insert in the opening 1–2 Amarene and close the ball again by rolling it in your hands.

Place all the cookies on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes at 375°F and let them cool.

Make your icing by mixing the milk and sugar. The icing should be a thick liquid. With a brush apply the icing on each cookie to cover the top. Deposit the cookie in a baking cup and immediately put a mini dragee on top of the icing or sprinkles. Let the icing dry completely for several hours.

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Anginette JUST LIKE GREAT GRANDMA'S

dough

icing

3 cups of flour

3 large eggs

confectionary sugar

½ cup sugar

3 teaspoon baking powder

half & half

¼ cup oil

1 teaspoon baking soda

sugar crystals of different colors

¼ cup orange juice

½ teaspoon salt

½ stick of butter

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

½ teaspoon nutmeg and cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°F Blend oil & sugar; Mix in eggs, butter (softened) and orange juice; Add vanilla extract, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt; Stir until completely blended.

Add flour, baking powder and baking soda and stir until completely blended.

Roll into balls and bake at 350°F for approximately 10-15 minutes (bake time depends on the size of the cookies). Mix confectionary sugar with half and half until you get a thick creamy consistency.

Dip the cookies into the mix and sprinkle with sugar crystals.

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Cassatedde MADE THE ITALIAN WAY

dough

for the filling

1 lb flour

¾ cup white wine

½ lb impastata or drained ricotta

2.5 oz crisco or lard

veg. oil for frying

¼ lb almond flour

2 oz sugar

1 egg for the egg wash

3 oz sugar

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons chocolate chips powdered sugar for garnishing

Preheat oven to 350°F In a stand mixer, add the flour, the sugar and the crisco and mix well until the crisco is entirely absorbed by the flour. Add the egg yolk and mix. Little by little add the wine and mix until you have a ball of dough.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for 1 hour.

Make the Filling: Mix the Impastata or the drained ricotta and the sugar. Add the almond extract and the almond flour. Mix very well.

Fold in the chocolate chips.

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AN ITALIAN COOKIE FILLED CHRISMAS

Step by Step: 1. Take a piece of dough and with a rolling pin flatten it very thin.

2. Line the border with the egg wash 3. Add a tablespoon of filling in the middle Close the dough to form a half moon and press around the perimeter.

Fry all the cassatedde.

When they are completely cool garnish with powdered sugar.

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Italian Knot Cookies KNOTTED WITH LOVE

dough

icing

¾ cup melted butter

4 cups flour

2 cups powdered sugar

¾ cup sugar

6 teaspoons baking powder

½ tseaspoon anise

3 eggs

1 pinch of salt

1 pinch of salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

¼ cup warm water

Preheat oven to 350°F In a mixer, add melted butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Mix the flour with the baking powder and salt.

Change to dough hooks and add flour mixture. Add the warm water and mix until it forms a smooth dough.

Make 1½ inch balls with dough. Roll balls out to about 4 inch worms. Bring one end over the other, then underneath and through the middle, like a knot. Place on baking sheet, four rows of four. (16 cookies on each sheet) Bake in 350°F oven for 13 - 15 minutes. Let cool before icing.

To Ice: Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.

Add a little water until desired consistency.

Dip cookie upside down into icing, then turn over onto waxpaper.

Sprinkle with candy sprinkles.

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AN ITALIAN COOKIE FILLED CHRISMAS

Step by Step: 1. Put Melted Butter in large mixing bowl 2. Add 3 Eggs 3. Add the Sugar 4. Pour the Vanilla Extract over the sugar 5. Mix the ingredients and then add the flour with baking powder and salt

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Italian Sugar Cookies THEY MELT IN YOUR MOUTH

¾ cup shortening

3 teaspoons baking powder

2½ cups confectioners’ sugar

¾ cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 egg

¼ cup milk

food coloring and coarse sugar, optional

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons butter melted

3 cups allpurpose flour

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400°F In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.

Shape dough into 1½ inch balls. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.

For icing: in a small bowl, combine milk, butter, vanilla and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Tint with food coloring if desired. Dip tops of cookies in icing; allow excess to drip off. Sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired. Place on waxed paper; let stand until set. Yield: 3 dozen.

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Step by Step: 1. Bake Cookies 2. Frost them when cooled 4. Add sprinkles 3. Add more decorations 5. Dive in and enjoy!

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Crumiri BUTTERY HORSHOE – SHAPED COOKIES

1½ sticks plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature

2 large eggs at room

¾ cup sugar

1¾ cups allpurpose flour

temperature

1 pinch of salt ²/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon fine yellow cornmeal

Preheat oven to 325°F Cream the butter and sugar in a mixer bowl until very light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Sift the flour, salt, and cornmeal together and sift again over the batter; mix well.

You can shape these cookies either with a pastry bag of by hand. If using a pastry bag, spoon the dough into the bag fitted with a ³/8 -inch star-shaped tip (the traditional cookies are ribbed). Pipe 4 inches long, ½ inch thick, about 2 inches apart on buttered and floured or parchemnt– lined baking sheets. Or roll the pieces of dough, each about the size of a walnut, into long thin logs of the same dimension. Place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bend each piped or rolled log into a horseshoe. Bake until lightly golden, about 12 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

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HOLIDAY PACK AGING IDEAS Nothing reads “made with love� more than recieving a homemade baked good inside a personally crafted package. Baking the cookies alone is a process, but the thought you put into the final image is what really shows your effort. Tall clear jars such as biscuit jars or mason jars are great for holding handmade treats. If you arent one for he vintage treasures look, look for small baskets, colorful boxes, or metal shaped carries. Since this cookbook is based on Christmas cookies you could even take a quick trip to your local food goods store and most likely come across some cute holiday premade boxes. Fill the container you find with your homemade gift and your recipient will have a sweet snack to munch on during the snow days and also a keepsake to cherish and share with loved ones.

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