Some believe France is the most romantic place in the world. I happen to believe Italy takes the lead in the romance department. So, here are two delicious and romantic Italian desserts to make right in your kitchen!
Coffee hazelnut biscotti
https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/coffee-hazelnut-biscotti-0
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Frangelico (hazelnut-flavored liqueur)
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso or 2 instant coffee granules
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 large egg
- 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup whole-wheat flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup coarsely chopped toasted hazelnuts, divided
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- .13 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground coffee beans
- Cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°.
- Place liqueur in a small bowl. Microwave at HIGH 10 seconds. Stir in cocoa and espresso until smooth. Add oil, egg whites, and egg, stirring with a whisk until blended.
- Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.
- Place flours, sugars, 2 tablespoons hazelnuts, baking soda, and salt in a food processor; process until hazelnuts are ground.
- Add ground coffee; pulse 2 times or until blended. With processor on, slowly add liqueur mixture through the food chute; process until dough forms a ball.
- Add 6 tablespoons hazelnuts; pulse 5 times or until blended (dough will be sticky). Turn dough out onto a floured surface; knead lightly 4 to 5 times.
- Divide dough into 3 equal portions, shaping each portion into a 10-inch-long roll.
- Place rolls 3 inches apart on a large baking sheet coated with cooking spray.
- Bake at 300° for 28 minutes.
- Remove rolls from the baking sheet; cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack.
- Cut each roll diagonally into 20 (1/2-inch) slices.
- Place slices, cut sides down, on baking sheets. Bake at 300° for 20 minutes. Turn cookies over; bake an additional 10 minutes (cookies will be slightly soft in center but will harden as they cool).
- Remove from baking sheets; cool completely on wire racks.
- Note: To toast hazelnuts, place on a baking sheet and bake at 350º for 15 minutes, stirring once. Turn nuts out onto a towel. Roll up the towel and rub off the skins. Chop nuts.
Chocolate Pizzettes
https://www.familytabletreasures.com/chocolate-pizzettes/
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 4 Cups Unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Heaping, baking powder
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 3/4 Cups Sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1,12-ounce bag Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup Canola oil
- 1 Cup Hot coffee
- 2 Cups Toasted almonds, chopped
Chocolate coating
- 1,12-ounce bag Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1-2 Tablespoons Shortening
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 Degrees F.
For the cookies:
- In a medium bowl mix together, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, cloves and sugar. Set aside.
- Place chocolate chips in a large mixing bowl and pour hot coffee over them. Let sit for one minute then stir to melt the chocolate. Add oil to the mixture and beat with an electric hand mixer to incorporate. Mix in the egg.
- Gradually add your dry ingredients into the wet to form a dough. Once well combined mix in your chopped almonds.
- Roll dough into logs (in several batches) and cut at an angle into 1 inch slices.
- Place cookie slices on your cookie sheet about an inch apart.
- Bake for 7 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack and cool cookies completely.
For the melted chocolate topping:
- In the top of a double boiler over simmering water, melt chocolate chips until smooth. Add 1-2 tablespoons of shortening to chocolate to thin out for easier dipping.
- Once cooled, dip tops of cookies in melted chocolate and place back on a cooling rack until chocolate has set.
Notes from the experts
- *Can be frozen but do so without the chocolate topping. Thaw completely and dip in the chocolate the day you will be serving them for the best results.
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