All posts tagged hazelnuts

2 Posts
  • Brownies
  • Brownies
  • Brownies

Brownies

I can’t imagine life without chocolate. This autumn I discovered how easy and gratifying it is to make a typical recipe from the United States recipe. I am talking about brownies, this traditional American baked cake, that is a cross between a cake and a cookie.
The ingredients are few and it really takes a short time to make this tasty!chocolate cake. Also by combining and adding nuts, frosting, whipped cream, chocolate chips, or other ingredients you can obtain really nice versions.
In this case I took the recipe  and all direction from a friend’s website at RoadToPastry.

Ingredients
250g Unsalted butter (room temperature)
225g Chocolate (70%)
250g Eggs (~ 4)
560g Granulated sugar
225g Pastry flour
1 pinch Salt
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
1 teaspoon Coffee extract (optional)
100g Pecan or walnut pieces
Powdered sugar (optional)

Directions
1. Melt the chocolate and butter to 49° in a bain marie
2. Whip the eggs and sugar in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed for 10 minutes. Add the salt and extracts at the end.
3. Scrape down the bowl, then add the melted chocolate, blending until well combined
4. Add the flour and mix until combined
5. Fold in the nuts
6.  Spread the batter onto a paper-lined pan (don’t tap it after filling it). Bake at 160° until the center is set, approximately 40 minutes
7. Cool completely before cutting. Dust the brownies with powdered sugar if desired.

 

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Calgionetti Abruzzesi with my Mom.

This holidays I have been following my mom while she was making the typical Christmas Foods. As every year she started with some days in advance to make the typical Christmas cookies. Yesterday she was making the Caggiunitt’, also known as Calgionetti. They are a typical cookies in Abruzzo region, traditionally made during Christmas time.
Calgionetti are basically a stuffed pastry in the shape of ravioli (square) or tortelli (half circle) filled with hazelnuts, chocolate, cinnamon, cooked Must (grape juice) and orange peel.
The cookies are often fried but, as my mom do, they can also be baked for the more health-conscious.
The pastry dough what my mom make is a Shortcrust pastry made from water, flour, butter, yeast, sugar and cinnamon to the filling.
The only think is just that, when they are pulled out of the oven the smell of cinnamon and Must expands to the whole house: Suddenly is Christmas and… they are truly tasty!