Nick Malgieri Pizzelle Recipes

PIZZELLES III

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar until thick. Stir in the melted butter and vanilla. Sift together the flour and baking powder, and blend into the batter until smooth.
• Heat the pizzelle iron, and brush with oil. Drop about one tablespoon of batter onto each circle on the iron. You may need to experiment with the amount of batter and baking time depending on the iron. Bake for 20 to 45 seconds, or until steam is no longer coming out of the iron. Carefully remove cookies from the iron. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
• For chocolate pizzelles, add 1/4 cup cocoa sifted together with flour and baking powder, 1/4 cup more sugar and 1/4 teaspoon more baking powder. I find that for the chocolate mixture, the iron must be well oiled to start and then brush on more as needed.

CHOCOLATE SPICE BARS

Steps:

• Equipment: One 10 by 15 by 1-inch pan buttered and lined with parchment or foil
• Set a rack in the middle level of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, spices and salt. Stir well to mix and sift the dry ingredients onto a piece of parchment or waxed paper.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter with the sugar on low speed until just mixed. Beat in the chocolate, then the eggs, one at a time, beating smooth between each addition. Beat in the dry ingredients, scraping bowl and beater(s) several times. Off the mixer, fold in the chopped nuts. Scrape the batter onto the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset metal icing spatula or a rubber spatula.
• Bake the bars for about 30 minutes, until firm, but not dry. Cool in the pan on a rack. Trim 1/8-inch from the edges and cut the cooled sheet into 2- inch squares, using a sharp, thin-bladed knife.
• Storage: Keep the bars between sheets of waxed paper in a tin or other container with a tight-fitting cover.