Italian Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies Food

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl whisk together flour and salt. Start with 2 ¼ cups of flour, once the dough is combined if needed add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time.
• In a the mixing bowl cream the butter, then slowly add sugar and vanilla and beat, slowly add the whisked flour and continue to beat, stir in the ground hazelnuts. Refrigerate for approximately 30 minutes.
• Pre-heat oven to 325F (160C). Line 1-2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• Remove the dough from the fridge and form into golf ball size balls, place on the prepared cookie sheets, lightly flatten (not too thin) with the bottom of a glass (lightly floured so dough doesn't stick)**.
• Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden. Let cool 5 minutes on the cookie sheets, then move to wire racks to cool completely before dipping or drizzling with melted chocolate.
• Melt the chocolate either bain marie or with the microwave, either dip half of the cookie or spread half of cookie with chocolate (I spread the top half of the cookie), or drizzle with the chocolate if you prefer, sprinkle the ground hazelnuts on top of the chocolate. If you prefer plain then you could also sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving. Enjoy!
• **Make balls a little larger and flatten to a thicker size, if you want thicker cookies.

ITALIAN HAZELNUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 350F (180C). Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• Roast the whole hazelnuts (1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon and the 20 whole hazelnuts) for about 5-6 minutes. Move them to a clean bowl, remove 20 hazelnuts and set aside. The remaining hazelnuts place in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped (see photo). Set aside.
• In the bowl of the mixer cream the butter and sugar until fluffy about 2-3 minutes.
• Add the flour, chopped nuts, egg yolk, milk and vanilla. Mix just until combined into a dough.
• Either place the dough in a pastry bag with a large star tip or drop by heaping teaspoonfuls (or half and half) on the prepared cookie sheets. Place a roasted whole hazelnut on each cookie round and bake for approximately 15-20 minutes or until golden. Let cool 10-15 minutes on the cookie sheet then move to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

ITALIAN HAZELNUT COOKIES WITH NUTELLA® HAZELNUT SPREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix together hazelnuts, flour and sugar. Mix in butter, egg yolk and salt until combined. Form into ball; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 3 hours.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Roll dough into 48 small balls, about 2 tsp each. Arrange balls, about 2 inches apart, on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
• Bake, in batches, for about 18 minutes or until just set and lightly golden brown. Let cool completely on cooling rack.
• Spread or pipe 1 tsp Nutella® hazelnut spread over the bottoms of half of the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies.

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
• In another medium bowl combine the butter, chocolate hazelnut spread, sugar, and brown sugar. Using an electric mixer, cream the ingredients together, about 4 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Add the hazelnuts and stir until just combined.
• Using a tablespoon measure, spoon out the cookie dough onto a cookie sheet, spacing the mounds about 4 inches apart. Use the tines of a fork to flatten the cookie dough. Bake until lightly golden around the edges, about 10 to 12 minutes. Use a metal spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let cool.

HAZELNUT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Line 2 heavy baking sheets with parchment paper. Finely chop the oats in a food processor. Transfer the oats to a medium bowl. Mix in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
• Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars in a large bowl until fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and stir just until blended. Stir in the toffee, hazelnuts, and chocolate chips.
• For each cookie, drop 1 rounded tablespoonful of dough onto sheet, spacing 1 inch apart (do not flatten dough). Bake until the cookies are golden (cookies will flatten slightly), about 15 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely. (The cookies can be prepared 1 day ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.)

CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT DROP COOKIES

Steps:

• Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners. Set aside.
• In an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and 1/4 cup of the sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla. With the machine running, gradually add the flour until incorporated. Beat in the chocolate-hazelnut spread.
• Roll the dough into 36 (1 1/2-inch) balls and place 12 balls of dough onto each baking sheet. Bake until the bottoms of the cookies flatten out slightly, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Place the remaining 1 cup powdered sugar in a medium bowl. In batches, roll the cookies in the sugar until coated. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

ITALIAN CHOCOLATE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Sift 3 cups flour twice. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, white sugar and cocoa. Cream 1 cup butter or margarine; blend into flour mixture. Add 1/3 cup milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla and nuts. Mix thoroughly with hands until well blended. (Dough should be the consistency of pie crust, but not sticky.)
• For each cookie, pinch off about 1 teaspoon dough. Roll by hands into balls, each about one-inch in diameter. Place on greased baking sheets. Do not flatten. Bake about 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from baking sheets; cool on racks. When cool, drizzle each generously with chocolate frosting. Sprinkle with candy sprinkles if desired.
• To make Chocolate Frosting: Melt the chocolate squares over low heat. Cream with 1 tablespoon of butter or margarine, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 2 cups of confectioner's sugar. Gradually add hot milk, beating until smooth.

ITALIAN CHOCOLATE SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in eggs, milk and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and cloves; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Stir in walnuts., Shape level tablespoons of dough into balls; place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until bottoms are light brown, 10-12 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For glaze, in a large bowl, mix confectioners' sugar, corn syrup and enough milk to reach desired consistency. Dip tops of cookies into glaze; if desired, decorate with sprinkles. Let stand until set. Store between pieces of waxed paper in airtight containers.

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• To toast hazelnuts: spread on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned and the skins begin to flake.
• Remove from oven and place nuts in a dish- towel.
• Roll up and let nuts 'steam' for 5 minutes and briskly rub the towel (with nuts inside) to remove the skins from the nuts.
• Cool and then chop coarsely.
• Set aside while you prepare dough.
• Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.
• Line a large baking sheet (12 x 17) with parchment paper.
• In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine the coarsely chopped chocolate and brown sugar and process until the chocolate is very fine; set aside.
• Sift or whisk together the flour, cocoa, espresso powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl; set aside.
• In bowl of electric mixer combine the eggs and vanilla and beat to blend, about 30 seconds.
• On Low speed mix in the chocolate/sugar and flour mixtures until a stiff dough forms, adding the hazelnuts and white chocolate (if using) when about half mixed.
• On a floured surface divide the dough in half.
• Form each half into a log, 12 inches long.
• Do this by rolling the dough back forth into a cylinder shape with floured hands.
• Transfer the logs to the baking sheet, spacing then well apart (with-wise on the pan) Pat to even the shapes.
• Bake until firm to the touch about 40 minutes (logs will spread during baking).
• Remove from oven, place on wire rack, let cool for 10 minutes.
• Using a long spatula transfer the logs to a cutting board.
• With a serrated knife cut the dough into 3/4 inch thick slices on the diagonal.
• Arrange the slices on the baking sheet.
• Bake 20 minutes at 300°F, turn the slices over and bake until crisp and dry, about 20 minutes longer.
• Let cool on wire rack.

ITALIAN HAZELNUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Position 2 racks as close to the center of the oven as possible; preheat to 325 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.
• Pulse nuts and sugar in a food processor until finely ground. Scrape into a large bowl.
• Beat egg whites and salt in another large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form.
• Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the nut mixture. Add vanilla and gently but thoroughly mix until combined.
• Drop the batter by the tablespoons 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake the cookies until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes, switching the pans back to front and top to bottom halfway through.
• Let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes.
• Gently transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
• When the baking sheets are thoroughly cooled, repeat with the remaining batter.
• NOTE: TO TOAST AND SKIN HAZELNUTS.
• TO TOAST: Cook sliced or chopped nuts in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Toast whole hazelnuts on a baking sheet in a 350 degree F oven, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 7 to 9 minutes.
• TO SKIN: Let the nuts cool for a few minutes, then rub together in a clean kitchen towel to remove most of the papery skins.

ITALIAN HAZELNUT ESPRESSO SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Blend flour, brown sugar, cornstarch, 1 tablespoon espresso powder and salt in processor. Add butter and vanilla. Using on/off turns, process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add nuts; blend until finely chopped. Transfer dough to floured work surface. Knead just until dough comes together.
• Divide dough in half. Press each half into 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Bake until deep golden brown, about 25 minutes. Transfer shortbread to rack; cool 2 minutes. Remove pan sides.
• Cut each shortbread round into 24 wedges. Cool completely.
• Mix 2 tablespoons hot water and remaining 1 teaspoon espresso powder in small saucepan. Add chocolate. Stir over medium-low heat until chocolate is smooth. Remove from heat. Cool slightly. Drizzle chocolate mixture over cookies. Let stand until chocolate sets. (Can be prepared ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week, or freeze up to 1 month.)