Baci Di Dama (Hazelnut Cookies)
Baci di dama are bite-sized Italian hazelnut cookies sandwiched with chocolate. Toasted hazelnuts, cold butter, and a little lemon zest make a crisp, crumbly cookie with a rich, nutty flavor. The food-processor dough needs no chilling, and the batch makes 48 sandwich cookies for coffee breaks, cookie trays, or homemade gifts.
Servings: 48 cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (140 grams) hazelnuts
- 3/4 cup (85 grams) powdered sugar, divided
- 1 cup (120 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or dark rum
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (about 1/2 lemon)
- 4 ounces (113 grams) semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, preferably 60 to 70 percent cacao, chopped
Instructions
- Get ready. Arrange oven racks in the bottom and upper thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roast the hazelnuts. Spread the hazelnuts on one of the prepared baking sheets. Roast for about 10 minutes, until browned and fragrant. Leave the oven on; the cookies bake at the same temperature.
- Remove the skins. When the nuts are still warm but cool enough to handle, transfer them to a clean, damp tea towel. Wrap them in the towel and rub vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes to remove as much skin as possible. Transfer the nuts to a food processor and discard the loose skins. A little skin left on the nuts is fine.
- Grind the hazelnuts. Add 2 tablespoons of the measured powdered sugar to the food processor, reserving the remaining sugar. Process until the hazelnuts are finely ground, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Mix the dry ingredients. Add the remaining powdered sugar, flour, and salt. Process until evenly distributed, about 1 minute. Pause to scrape the bottom corner of the bowl with a rubber spatula if needed.
- Make the dough. Add the cold butter cubes, vanilla extract or dark rum, and lemon zest. Pulse a few times to break up and distribute the butter, then process until the mixture begins to clump into a cohesive dough, about 30 seconds.
- Divide the dough. Turn the dough onto a clean work surface. Gently knead a few times if any dry bits of flour remain. Divide into four equal pieces, about 4 ounces (115 grams) each.
- Shape the logs. Gently roll each piece into a log about 1 inch in diameter and 12 inches long. If a log starts to break apart, press it back together. If the dough sticks to the counter, dust the surface lightly with flour.
- Shape the cookies. Cut each log into 24 pieces, each about 1/2 inch long. Roll each piece into a ball between your palms. Arrange 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets, reusing the pan and parchment from roasting the hazelnuts. You should have 96 cookie halves, with 48 on each pan.
- Bake. Bake for 8 minutes, then rotate the pans front to back and switch them between the upper and lower racks. Continue baking for about 6 minutes more, until the tops look dry and the edges are just starting to turn golden.
- Cool. Let the cookies cool to room temperature on their baking sheets, about 30 minutes.
- Melt the chocolate. Place the chopped chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring with a rubber spatula after each interval, until melted and smooth.
- Assemble. Pair the cooled cookies by size and shape. Dollop about 1/2 teaspoon melted chocolate onto the flat bottom of one cookie, then gently press the flat bottom of its partner against the chocolate. The filling should spread to the edges. Repeat with the remaining cookies to make 48 sandwiches.
- Finish and serve. Let the cookies stand until the chocolate is firm, at least 15 minutes, before serving or packing.
Notes
- Hazelnut skins: You don’t need to remove every bit of skin. Small flecks give the cookies a rustic, speckled appearance. You can also start with blanched hazelnuts, which have already been peeled; toast them before grinding.
- Without a microwave: Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring constantly.
- Without a food processor: Replace the whole hazelnuts with 1 1/4 cups hazelnut flour or almond flour, and use room-temperature butter. Toast the nut flour at 350°F for 5 to 7 minutes, then let it cool. With a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the butter, powdered sugar, salt, zest, and vanilla on low speed until smooth. Add the cooled nut flour and all-purpose flour, mixing just until the dough comes together. Wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes before shaping. Bake and fill as directed. This alternative requires additional chilling time.
- Storage: Store the filled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. To freeze, layer between sheets of parchment paper in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Shop this recipe: For a lightly spiced variation, add 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom with the dry ingredients. Its citrusy, floral flavor complements the toasted hazelnuts and chocolate. Browse The Mediterranean Dish shop for more Mediterranean pantry ingredients.
Nutrition
Calories: 63.4kcal | Carbohydrates: 5.5g | Protein: 0.8g | Fat: 4.4g | Saturated Fat: 1.9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1.9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 5.2mg | Sodium: 12.7mg | Potassium: 34mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 2.8g | Vitamin A: 60.8IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 5.4mg | Iron: 0.4mg
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