European Peach Cookies Recipes

LILLA'S PEACH COOKIES

Steps:

• Optional but highly recommended to measure out all the ingredients first and set aside
• In the bowl of a standing mixer, add eggs and sugar and beat with whisk attachment for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy
• add the oil all at once and mix until blended
• add the milk and mix until blended
• Combine the baking powder with the flour and then add to the mixing bowl with egg mixture and combine until very soft dough forms (see photo)
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and set into the refrigerator for at least 2 hours
• preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line baking sheets with silicone baking sheet or parchment paper
• Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, portion dough into approximately 60 to 64 cookies. The shape should be round with a slightly flattened top (see photo)
• please note that this is a sticky dough! use cooking spray to help prevent dough from sticking to hands when forming cookies
• bake in oven for about 25 to 28 minutes. Note that these cookies are intentionally overbaked so that they can withstand the dipping step and not fall apart. That said, do not burn the cookies! They should have a golden color.
• After cookies are baked, carve them while they are still warm.
• The cookies should be cool enough to handle but still warm enough to allow carving. If they are cool, the cookies will be more likely to break when you try to carve the bottom out
• Using a small knife with a pointed tip, carve out the bottom (see photo) so that they can be filled with pastry cream.
• After all cookies have been carved, store them in a sealed container until ready to fill and decorate
• Note that this recipe makes a little more cream than needed; the extra pastry cream is delicious enjoyed alone!
• Also note that the sugar is divided, so please use sugar number 1 in first part of recipe and sugar number 2 in second part as described below
• Combine milk and sugar number 1 in a medium sized sauce pan/pot and heat until slightly boiling over medium high heat
• In the meantime, combine the cornstarch with sugar number 2 and then add to the eggs and mix well but do not introduce too much air
• After milk come to slight boil, pour about 1/3 of it into the egg/sugar/cornstarch mixture while whisking vigorously
• Return this egg mixture back to the pot containing the remaining milk/sugar mixture and heat over medium high heat for 2 minutes while whisking constantly. Mixture will become very thick. Whisk well continuously and make sure to stir the bottom of pot and bottom edges of pot to avoid scorching
• Remove pot from stove, add butter, and stir well until all butter is melted
• If using liquor, add to finished cream and combine well.
• Cover with plastic wrap (ensure the top of the cream is in direct contact with plastic wrap or film will develop)
• Cool and then store in the refrigerator until ready to use
• Add 1 cup of water, sugar, lemon and orange peels, cinnamon stick, peach jello, and vanilla extract to a pan and set over the stove. Heat and stir over medium flame for about 5 minutes
• Add a bit of the red food coloring (one drop at a time), and stir until desired color is achieved.
• Remove mixture/pan from flame and add remaining cup of water to dilute the mixture and cool it down a bit.
• Optional, add peach liquor to taste (add 2 tablespoons at a time and taste as you go)
• Organize an area for decorating cookies
• Set out everything you'll need: the carved cookies, the dipping syrup for dipping, and the pastry cream to fill the cookies. You may also need some paper towels to wipe up if the syrup drips. You will also need a baking tray lined with parchment or aluminum foil.
• We typically dip, fill, and put together one cookie at a time.
• Although most cookies should be similar in size, it might help to match up 2 cookies before proceeding to the dip, fill stage
• Dip 2 cookies (I dunk them three times), let excess syrup drip off, then fill each half with pastry cream and join the cookies together like a sandwich. Wipe excess cream that may ooze out with finger and place on nonstick paper lined baking sheet. Note that you should use a small and deep container to dip the cookies as the syrup starts to run low to make things easier.
• Continue until all the cookies are dipped, filled and joined together
• place the tray of cookies in the refrigerator for about 2 hours or so until they have dried slightly and then sprinkle with sugar (NOT powdered sugar but regular granulated sugar) and insert leaves to decorate. We use a sugar shaker but you can sprinkle with tablespoon.
• Cookies can be made 3 or 4 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. They do not need to be covered as they should be quite moist and are not subject to drying out quickly.
• Pastry cream can be made ahead and stored for 2 days
• More tips on making pastry cream here
• It is not recommended to freeze pastry cream (see explanation in link above); however, you may freeze cookies ahead of time and then fill and decorate a day before needed.

ITALIAN PEACH COOKIE RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Line 3 large baking trays with non-stick baking paper.
• With an electric mix or hand held whisk, beat eggs and sugar until pale and thick approx 10 minutes.
• Whisk in cooled, melted butter, lemon zest and vanilla extract. Continue to whisk until thick and creamy mixture.
• Sift the flour, baking powder and salt and gently stir into the egg mixture. Followed by milk.
• Take a small amount of dough and roll into a ball. The size should be a little smaller than a walnut (approx ¾oz/20g). I have a little cookie scoop (ice cream scoop) which measures approx 1½in/3.5cm across (size #60 or #70 cookie scoop). This ensure even size balls. Make 52 little dough balls and place them onto the lined baking tray allowing a little room for spreading.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes. The cookies will be pale and are meant to be soft. Remove from the oven and leave to cool down a little bit.
• While still warm use a small knife or teaspoon to make a small hole in the bottom of the cookie. Use in another recipe like rum ball or truffles or crumble and sprinkle over ice cream.
• Fill each indent with pastry cream one then join the two halves together.
• Dip each peach into Alkermes liqueur. Drain on a wire rack for a few minutes to allow the liqueur to soak in. Then roll in granulated sugar.
• Place the peaches in cupcake cases and put them in the fridge for at least 12 hours before serving. They will soften beautifully.

PEACH COOKIES

Steps:

• For the pastry cream: Whisk together 1 1/2 cups of the milk, 1/4 cup of the sugar and the salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, whisking until the sugar is dissolved.
• Meanwhile, whisk the cornstarch and egg yolks with the remaining 1/2 cup milk and 1/4 cup sugar in a medium bowl until smooth. Ladle about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into the bowl while whisking, then add all of the mixture back to the saucepan. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly; let boil until thickened, about 2 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, then stir in the preserves, schnapps and almond extract. Cool the pastry cream slightly, then cover the surface directly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold.
• For the cookies: Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk together the sugar, milk, butter, nectar, schnapps and eggs in a large bowl. Add the flour mixture and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth to make a thick, sticky dough.
• Lightly grease your hands with the oil and roll tablespoons of the dough into balls, arranging them about 1 1/2 inches apart on the lined baking sheets. Bake one sheet at a time, until the undersides of the cookies are golden and the tops are just set, about 15 minutes. Cool just a few minutes. While the cookies are still warm, use a sharp paring knife to cut an approximately 1-inch-wide teaspoon-sized divot into the flat side of each cookie (be careful not to pierce the tops or sides of the cookies). Bake the other sheet of cookies and cut out the divots. Cool the cookies completely.
• Spoon a heaping teaspoon of pastry cream into each cookie, then sandwich 2 similar-looking ones together to make a peach shape, cleaning off any pastry cream that squeezes out of the seams. At this point, the cookies may not stick together very well; prop them up next to each other to keep their shape.
• For decorating: Combine the nectar and almond extract in a small bowl and add enough food coloring to make it bright red, about 8 drops. Put the sugar in another bowl.
• Working one at a time, paint each peach cookie all over with the red nectar mixture using a medium paintbrush, then roll in the sugar to coat thoroughly. Make sure the cookies are still nicely sandwiched and place in a 9-by-13-inch baking pan (the cookies should fit snugly in the baking pan so that they keep their shape). Cover the dish with plastic and refrigerate 8 hours and up to overnight (this will blend the flavors and also set the pastry cream to keep the cookies together).
• Just before serving, garnish each cookie with a clove and mint sprig to look like little stems.

PEACH COBBLER COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg and extracts. In another bowl, whisk flour, cinnamon, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt and nutmeg; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Stir in peaches., Drop dough by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until set, 14-16 minutes. Cool on pans 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool. Store in an airtight container.

AUSTRIAN PEACH COOKIES II

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and 1 cup sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour and baking powder, stir into the creamed mixture alternately with the milk. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place balls 1 inch apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until cookies start to brown on the bottom. remove from baking sheets and cool on wire racks.
• When cookies are completely cool, carve a hole into the flat side of each cookie using a small knife. Save the crumbs. In a heatproof bowl, melt chocolate chips in a microwave or over a pan of simmering water. Stir frequently until smooth. In a medium bowl, stir together the melted chocolate, apricot jam, ground pecans, rum and reserved crumbs until well blended. Fill the carved out centers of the cookies with the chocolate mixture and stick two cookies together with the filling sides in to form a peach shape.
• Divide the remaining cup of sugar into two bowls. One bowl should contain 1/4 cup and 3/4 cup in the other. Color the small bowl with the red coloring by working it in with your fingers. Color the other bowl with the yellow coloring and add a pinch of the red sugar to it to make a peachy color. Brush each cookie with water and roll them first in the yellow sugar, then dip a part of them into the red sugar to give them a blush. Insert plastic green stems into the top for a realistic effect.

PESCHE - ITALIAN PEACH WEDDING COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°.
• Lightly grease cookie sheets.
• Mix together sugar, eggs and oil. Add flour and baking powder.
• Form 1" balls (cookies should be "flat" on the bottom where they rest on the cookie sheet) and bake about 10-15 minutes (until lightly browned on the bottom).
• While still warm, take a small pointed knife and scoop out a pocket on the flat side of each cookie.
• Fill with preserves & spread a small amount on the flat sides as you join 2 cookies together to form the peach.
• Color the brandy with a little food coloring & dip the peaches to give them a "blush".
• Then roll the peach in granulated sugar.
• You may garnish with artificial leaves for presentation.
• **Variation--if you have the time to make these lovely cookies on the actual day that they will be eaten, you may fill the pockets with pastry cream, and then seal the two halves together with melted dark chocolate!

PEACHY COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, oil, milk and vanilla until blended. Combine flour and baking powder; gradually beat into egg mixture. , Roll into 3/4-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets; flatten slightly. Bake at 325° for 13-15 minutes or until firm. Remove to wire racks. , While cookies are warm, use a sharp knife and small spoon to cut and scoop out about 1/2 teaspoon crumbs from the bottom of each cookie; set crumbs aside (about 1-1/2 cups) for filling. Cool cookies completely., In a small bowl, combine the filling ingredients; stir in reserved crumbs. Spoon into two cookies; spread a thin amount of filling on cookie bottoms and press together to form a peach. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling., In a shallow bowl, combine one package each of lemon and orange gelatin powder. Place one package of strawberry gelatin powder in another bowl. Place sugar in a third bowl. , Working with one cookie at a time, spritz cookie with water. Dip in lemon gelatin mixture, then in strawberry gelatin and then in sugar; spritz with additional water and add more gelatin as needed to create desired peach blush effect. Place on a wire rack to dry for 1 hour. , Repeat with remaining cookies and packages of gelatin. Attach mint leaves to the top of each cookie with additional preserves. Store in the refrigerator.