Italian Cookies Ii Recipes

ITALIAN WEDDING COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Cream butter in a bowl. Gradually add confectioners sugar and salt. Beat until light and fluffy. Add almonds and vanilla. Blend in flour gradually and mix well. Shape into crescents using about 1 teaspoon for each cookie. Place on ungreased cookie sheets, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Do not brown. Cool slightly, then roll in the extra confectioners' sugar.

ITALIAN COOKIES II

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
• In a medium bowl, cream together 1/2 cup butter and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and ricotta cheese. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually stir into the cheese mixture. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are golden. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
• In a medium bowl, cream together the remaining butter and confectioners' sugar. Beat in vanilla and milk gradually until a spreadable consistency is reached. Frost cooled cookies.

PIZZELLE

Steps:

• Whisk together the sugar, butter, milk, vanilla, anise extract if using and eggs in a large bowl. Add the flour, baking powder and salt, and continue to whisk until the batter is smooth. Allow to stand at room temperature for at least 1 hour so the batter can hydrate.
• Heat the pizzelle iron, and cook your pizzelles according to the manufacturer's directions.

ITALIAN RICOTTA COOKIES

Steps:

• Using an electric mixer, cream 2 sticks butter with sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add ricotta, lemon zest and 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla and beat well. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Scrape the sides of the bowl down with a rubber spatula, then beat in flour, baking soda and salt. Cover dough and chill for at least 2 hours and up to a week.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees and line several cookie sheets with parchment paper or nonstick liners. Shape tablespoons of dough into balls. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheets and bake until pale golden on the bottom, about 15 minutes. Let cool on wire racks.
• Melt remaining tablespoon butter. Whisk confectioners' sugar to break up any large lumps, then whisk in melted butter, lemon juice, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla and enough milk to make a spreadable icing. Spread icing on cooled cookies, then let set for at least 20 minutes before serving.

ITALIAN ALMOND COOKIES II

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F (175 degrees C).
• Grease cookie sheets.
• In a large bowl, use your hands to mix together the almond paste, flour, egg whites, white sugar and confectioners' sugar until well blended.
• The mixture will be very sticky.
• Place the sliced almonds into a small bowl.
• Scoop out rounded teaspoonfuls of the dough and drop them into the almonds.
• Roll until completely coated.
• Place 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown.
• Cool on cookie sheets for a few minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

ITALIAN WEDDING COOKIES II

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
• In a large bowl break up the almond paste. Add the softened butter, sugar, eggs and almond extract. Beat batter until light and fluffy.
• Beat in the flour and the salt. Split the batter into thirds and add enough of the three different food colorings to each third to color the batter nicely.
• Spread the batters into three 9 x 13 and 1/4-inch deep aluminum baking pans. Be sure the batter is only about 1/8-inch thick or it will rise to high.
• Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 12 minutes.
• Cool. Remove baked and cooled cakes from pans and place on a cookie sheet or cutting board.
• Heat the jam and spread between the layers as you stack them.
• Spread the melted chocolate over the top layer and refrigerate. When stiff remove cookies from the refrigerator and let chocolate soften slightly before cutting into small rectangles.