Italian Ribbon Cookies Recipes

ITALIAN RIBBON COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 F and grease three (13" x 9") metal baking pans.
• Line bottom of each with wax paper - letting it extend at two opposite ends - and grease paper.
• Break marzipan paste into small pieces and grind with sugar in food processor until no lumps remain.
• Transfer to a large bowl and add butter.
• Beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, then add yolks and almond extract and beat well.
• Beat in flour and salt on low speed.
• Beat egg whites in another bowl with cleaned beaters until they just hold stiff peaks and stir one third into batter to lighten slightly (batter will still be stiff).
• Fold in remaining whites thoroughly.
• Cook's note: Do not make this dough ahead of time.
• Divide dough into thirds (about 1 1/2 cups each).
• Stir green food coloring into one third and red food coloring into another, leaving one third plain.
• Spread each dough separately into a pan.
• (Layers will be thin.) Bake layers in batches in middle of oven until just set and beginning to turn golden along edges, 7 to 10 minutes total.
• Run knife along edges to loosen from pan, then while still hot, invert a large rack over pan and invert layer onto rack, pulling gently on wax paper overhangs to release if necessary.
• Peel off wax paper and cool completely.
• Line a large shallow baking pan with wax paper and slide green layer into it.
• Spread half of jam evenly over green layer and carefully top with plain layer.
• Spread remaining jam evenly over uncolored layer and carefully top with pink layer (trim edges if necessary).
• Cover with plastic wrap and weigh down with a large cutting board or baking pan.
• Chill at least three hours.
• Melt chocolate in a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water.
• Remove weight and plastic wrap and spread chocolate evenly over top, but not sides, of pink layer.
• Let stand at room temperature until set, about 1 hour, and cut into small diamonds or rectangles (12 rows crosswise and 12 diagonal rows).

ITALIAN RAINBOW COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 8-by-4-inch loaf pans and line them with parchment paper that comes at least 2 inches up the long sides of the pan. If you don't have 3 loaf pans, you can bake the layers in batches.
• In a large bowl or in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites to soft peaks. With the mixer running on medium, gradually add 2 tablespoons of the sugar. Increase the speed to medium high and beat to stiff peaks. Set aside.
• In a large bowl or in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter, almond paste, salt and remaining 1/2 cup sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium and add the yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the lemon juice and almond extract, then reduce the speed to medium low and gradually add the flour. Mix to combine. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the whites.
• Transfer one-third of the mixture to one of the loaf pans and use a small offset spatula to spread it out evenly. Transfer another third of the mixture to a separate bowl and fold in the green food coloring. Fold the red food coloring into the remaining third. Transfer these into the remaining 2 loaf pans, spreading them out evenly.
• Bake until the tops are just set and no longer shiny; begin checking for doneness at 12 minutes. Let cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then lift them out and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
• Stack up the loaves (from bottom to top: green, white, red) with 1 1/2 tablespoons jam between the layers. Wrap the loaf firmly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
• Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or by microwaving it in 30-seconds increments, stirring after each. Remove it from the heat and stir continuously until it is no longer hot. Spread it over the top and sides of the cookie loaf and refrigerate to firm up for about 15 minutes. Cut into 1-inch squares.

ITALIAN RAINBOW COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar 2-3 minutes or until thick and lemon-colored. Gradually add almond paste; mix well. Gradually add flour, butter, salt and extract., Divide batter into thirds. Tint one portion red and one portion green; leave remaining portion plain. Spread one portion into each of three well-greased 11x7-in. baking dishes., Bake 7-11 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and edges begins to brown. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., Place red layer on waxed paper; spread with 2 tablespoons jam. Top with plain layer and remaining jam. Add green layer; press down gently. , For glaze, in a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Spread half over green layer. Refrigerate 20 minutes or until set. Turn over; spread remaining glaze over red layer. Refrigerate 20 minutes or until set. , With a sharp knife, trim edges. Cut rectangle lengthwise into fourths. Cut each portion into 1/4-in. slices.

ITALIAN RAINBOW COOKIES

Steps:

• Arrange 2 racks in the center of the oven and heat to 350 degrees. Make room in your refrigerator for 1 half-sheet pan. Grease 3 (13-by-9-inch) baking pans or quarter-sheet pans with cooking spray or a little oil, then line with parchment or wax paper. (This helps the paper stay in place.) Spray or oil the parchment.
• Combine the flour and salt in a medium bowl. In the bowl of a standing mixer (or with a hand mixer), or in a large bowl if using an electric hand mixer, break up the almond paste using a fork or your fingers. Add butter, sugar, egg yolks and almond extract. Using the paddle attachment, beat on high until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, scraping down the bowl halfway through. Turn off the mixer, add a third of the flour and salt, then beat on medium-low until just combined. Repeat with another third, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, and continue until all the flour is added and incorporated. Transfer batter to a large bowl. Rinse and dry the mixing bowl.
• Add egg whites to the mixing bowl and beat on high speed with the whisk attachment until stiff peaks form, 30 to 45 seconds. Fold the egg whites into the batter until just combined.
• Remove one-third of the batter to one of the prepared pans. Use an offset spatula to evenly spread the batter in the pan all the way to the edges. (This can get a little tricky, but have patience and take your time. The oil on the pan should help hold the paper in place, but if you're having trouble, hold the paper in place with one hand while you spread with the other.) Remove another one-third of the batter to a medium bowl and add a couple drops of green food coloring. Stir until blended, and add more to reach your desired shade. Transfer green batter to a prepared pan and spread evenly. Add a couple drops of red food coloring to the remaining batter, stir to combine, add more as needed, then transfer to the last pan and spread evenly. Firmly tap each pan on the countertop to release air bubbles.
• Bake for 10 to 11 minutes, rotating pans halfway through, until the edges are barely browned, the tops are just set, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Immediately slide cakes from the pans onto racks using the parchment paper. Cool completely.
• Using the parchment paper, slide the green cake onto a half-sheet pan. In a small saucepan, heat preserves over medium until loose, then strain through a fine mesh sieve. Spread half of the preserves over the green layer, going all the way to the edge. Carefully flip the uncolored layer on top (use a large offset spatula to help), and remove the parchment paper. Spread with the remaining preserves. Top with the red layer and remove the parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and place another rimmed baking sheet on top of the cookies. Transfer to the refrigerator, then top with heavy cans so the weight is evenly distributed. Refrigerate overnight.
• Melt half of the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave in 30-second bursts. Using an offset spatula, spread the chocolate on the top and to the edges, then refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Melt the remaining chocolate. Place a piece of parchment or wax paper on a cutting board, then place on top of the cake and invert the cake onto the board. Spread the bottom with the remaining chocolate. Let cool for a few minutes, then use the tines of a fork to draw waves in the chocolate and add sprinkles, if desired. Refrigerate until almost firm, but still slightly soft, about 5 to 10 minutes. (If you wait until the chocolate is fully set, the chocolate will crack when you cut.)
• Run a sharp knife under hot water, dry, then trim the edges and save for snacking. Cut the cake into 1-inch squares, running the knife under hot water and drying between cuts. Return to the refrigerator to set completely. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container with wax paper between layers. Allow to come to room temperature a bit before serving.

FRIED RIBBON COOKIES

Steps:

• Blend the butter, sugar, and salt in the food processor. Add the milk, egg and yolk, rum, lemon juice, and citrus zests, and process everything together until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, dump in all of the flour, and process in pulses until the dough comes together. Clean the bowl again, and pulse a few more times to mix thoroughly.
• Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, and knead briefly into a soft, smooth ball. If it is sticky, knead in more flour in small amounts. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic, and chill for 30 minutes to an hour. (You can keep it refrigerated up to a day, but let it return to room temperature before rolling.)
• Cut the chilled dough in half, and work with one piece at a time. Flatten the dough on a lightly floured work surface, and roll it out to a rough square shape, approximately 16 inches on a side. Trim the edges of the square, and with the fluted cutter divide it into ten strips, about 1 1/2 inches wide. Cut across all the strips in the middle to form twenty ribbons, each about 7 inches long (though they shrink after you cut them).
• One at a time, tie each ribbon into a simple overhand knot. If necessary, stretch the ends gently so they're long enough to knot. Place the knotted crostoli on a sheet pan lined with parchment or wax paper as you work, leaving room between them so they don't stick to each other. Roll out the second piece of dough; cut and tie ribbons the same way.
• Meanwhile, pour vegetable oil in the pan to a depth of 2 inches or a bit more. Set over medium heat to reach frying temperature gradually. When you're ready to start frying, raise the heat, and test the oil by dropping in a scrap piece of dough; the fat should bubble actively around the dough, but it shouldn't get dark quickly. (If you have a frying thermometer, heat the oil to 350˚. And be sure to use long-handled tools, hot pads, and caution when deep-frying.)
• Using long-handled tongs, quickly drop the first batch of crostoli into the fryer-raise the heat to return the oil to frying temperature. Don't crowd the cookies-fry only ten or twelve at a time in a 10-inch-diameter pan. The cookies first drop to the bottom, but soon float to the surface. Turn them frequently with tongs and a spider or slotted spoon, to cook evenly.
• Fry the crostoli for 4 minutes or so, as they color gradually to dark gold. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain oil temperature and prevent too rapid browning. When crisp and golden all over, lift them from the oil with a spider or spoon, drain off oil, then lay them on layers of paper towel to cool. Fry the remaining crostoli in batches the same way; drain and cool. Store in a sealed cookie tin or plastic container, and keep them dry.
• To serve, pile the cooled crostoli on a serving plate in a heaping mound. Put the powdered sugar in a small mesh sieve, and dust generously over the cookies.

ITALIAN COOKIES I

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Mix in the egg and vanilla. Combine the flour and baking powder; stir into the creamed mixture until blended. Divide dough into walnut sized portions. Roll each piece into a rope and then shape into a loop. Place cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until firm and golden at the edges.

ITALIAN TRI-COLOR COOKIES (RAINBOW COOKIES)

Steps:

• Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease 3 8"x8" metal baking pans. After greasing, line the bottoms of the pans with wax paper, smoothing the paper down onto the pan. Grease the tops of the wax paper and then flour the pans. Put aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, Beat together on medium-high speed the Almond Paste, Sugar, Almond Extract and butter until well blended. (there might be some small lumps of Almond Paste remaining and that's fine.).
• Reduce speed to medium and beat in the eggs one at a time until blended.
• Reduce speed to low and then add the flour and salt slowly to the mixture until combined.
• Take two small bowls and add 1 rounded cup of batter into each bowl. (there should be another rounded cup of batter still in the original mixing bowl.).
• Add 15 drops of red food color to one bowl and 15 drops of green food color to the other. Stir each bowl until evenly blended with color.
• Spoon the untinted batter into one pan. With metal spatula spread batter evenly (layer will be about 1/4 inch thick). Repear with red batter in second pan and green batter in remaining pan.
• Bake until set and toothpick inserted in center of layers comes out clean. 10-12 minutes.
• Cool in pans on wire rack about 1/2 hour. Cake should be cool to the touch.
• Run tip of knife around side of pans to loosen layers.
• Lay a piece of wax paper on a flat surface that will be able to fit in refrigerator.
• Take the green layer and flip over pan onto wax paper. Gently pull off the wax paper. Spread 1/3 cup of apricot preserves onto the green layer.
• Take the untinted layer and remove from pan. Place it onto the green layer with the wax paper side up. Press down gently and then remove the wax paper.
• Spread remaining 1/3 cup of Apricot preserves onto the untinted layer.
• take the remaining red layer and remove from pan and place upon the white layer again with the wax paper side up. Press down gently and remove the wax paper.
• In a 1 quart saucepan, heat chocolate and butter flavored crisco over low heat, stirring frequently, until melted.
• Spread melted chocolate mixture on top of the red layer evenly. Do not put mixture on sides.
• refrigerate until chocolate is firm, at least 1 hour. (at this point, if you want, you can cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days before serving).
• To serve, with a large sharp knife, trim about 1/4 inch from the edges. Cut the stacked layers into 6 strips. Cut each strip crosswise into 6 pieces. You will get 36 square cookies from this.
• Place the cookies in a single layer in a waxed paper lined container. They can be refrigerated for up to one week or freeze up to 3 months. These cookies must be kept in the fridge.