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Baci di Dama - Italian Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies

Baci di dama translates to lady's kisses. A classic Italian cookie from Piemonte. Delicious alone or served with coffee.

Course Dessert
Cuisine Italian
Servings 46 cookie kisses
Author Letizia Mattiacci

Ingredients

  • 3.5 ounces hazelnuts
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup pastry flour (can substitute cake flour)
  • 1 egg white
  • powdered sugar to coat if desired
  • 3 ounces 70% dark chocolate

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 



  2. Place all dry ingredients and the butter in a food processor. Blend at high speed until most of the mixture resembles coarse meal. About 2 minutes.


  3. Stir in the egg white and vanilla. Blend until the mixture forms a dough. About one minute. Do not overheat the butter in the dough by over blending.


  4. With lightly floured hands, roll the dough into 1 inch thick cylinders. Cut each cylinder into 2/3 inch pieces. Roll each piece into a ball. Arrange dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.


  5. Bake the cookies in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes until slightly golden. Meanwhile, place two tablespoons of powder sugar in a paper bag. When cookies are cool enough to handle, place a third of the cookies into the paper bag. Shake lightly to coat.


  6. Place all coated cookies on a wire rack and repeat coating with the remaining cookies. Add more powdered sugar to the bag if necessary.


  7. Melt the chocolate in the microwave or in a double boiler over low heat. Allow to cool until it becomes a thick-spreadable cream. 


  8. Assemble the baci di dama by sandwiching two cookies of similar size with a thin layer of melted chocolate in between. Enjoy!