Sicilian Chocolate Clove Cookies

These classic spice cookies are made from pure cocoa and often dubbed, "chocolate meatballs." They were derived in Sicily, but were always a favorite at every family gathering through the years in my American-Italian family. I personally enjoy making these at Christmas time, but they can be made any time of year.







Recipe


Ingredients

For the dough:

2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. chocolate cloves
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup plus 3 tbs. of butter at room temperature
1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
Zest of 1 Orange
1 large egg lightly beaten
1/2 cup milk

For the glaze:

1/2 cup powdered sugar
3 tsps. milk


Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking powder, and a pinch of salt.

2. Add cubed butter at room temperature and use your fingers, fork or pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour.

3. Stir in finely chopped walnuts and orange zest. Make a well in center of mixture. Add a beaten egg and stir into flour. Stir in milk and shape the dough. Add extra milk if necessary. Dough should be firm and a little sticky.

4. Scoop pieces of dough using a scoop or tablespoon and roll into a ball. Place on a baking sheet with parchment paper. They do not need to be placed far apart.

5. Bake for 18-20 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Once cooled, dip each cookies in glaze. For preparation of the glaze, just simply combine the powdered sugar and milk and adjust each accordingly for desired thickness.




Check out this 4.5 Quart Nonstick Cast Iron Dutch oven from Zakarian by Dash.

 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Penne Alla Vodka

Image
Penne Alla Vodka is an American Italian dish that can be found on many restaurant menus across America. It is a creamy, red sauce, that is actually more pink in color. It's rich and delicious and can be eaten as a course or full meal. Recipe Ingredients 8 oz. uncooked penne pasta 1 tbs. olive oil 2 tbs. butter 1/2 small onion, chopped finely 1 clove garlic, minced 1/4 cup vodka 1/4 cup tomato paste 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream Salt and pepper Fresh basil, sliced thin Grated parmesan cheese Instructions 1. Boil a generously salted pot of water for the pasta and cook according to package instructions. Meanwhile, add the oil and butter to a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion for about five minutes or until translucent. 2. Stir in garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the vodka and let the sauce bubble for 30 seconds or so.  3. Stir in the tomato paste until you've got a smooth mixture. Stir in the cream and reduce heat to medium-low. Let the sauce warm through. It shoul
Read more

Carbonara Sauce

Image
Carbonara sauce is a rich, delicious sauce that combines basic ingredients of bacon, eggs, olive oil and cheese. It originated in Rome, Italy where they often used the ingredients they had on hand to create hearty dishes. Rome is known for three major pasta sauces in particular. All three of which I will share on this blog. Carbonara is one of those three and often a fan favorite. It's great as a portioned course or a meal in its own. Traditionally served with spaghetti. Recipe Ingredients 1 pound of your favorite cut of pasta (this is typically served with spaghetti) 2 tbs. olive oil 8 slices of bacon diced (you can also use 4 oz. pancetta. Kitchen scissors help.) 1 onion chopped 3 cloves of garlic, minced 1/4 cup dry white wine 4 large eggs, beaten 1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese Salt and pepper, a pinch of each 2 tbs. chopped fresh parsley for a garnish Instructions 1. Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Add salt. This will be for your pasta of choice. While it&
Read more

Chicken Cacciatore

Image
Chicken Cacciatore is a tasty, Italian chicken dish that originated from central Italy. It combines fresh chicken, mushrooms and peppers in a traditional tomato sauce. It usually falls right off the bone if cooked for the right amount of time and is served over crushed spaghetti or egg noodles. It can be served at lunch time or dinner and is the perfect comfort, winter meal. Recipe Ingredients 8 chicken thighs, bone in and skin on 3 tbs. olive oil salt pepper 1 large onion, chopped 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced 3 cloves garlic 1/2 tsp, crushed red pepper 2 tbs. flour 1 cup dry white wine 14.5 oz. canned diced tomatoes 2 tbs. tomato paste A few bay leaves 1 tbs. thyme (can be dried) 1 tsp. dried oregano 1 large red or green bell pepper, chopped Instructions 1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a large Dutch oven or skillet over medium heat with olive oil. Start browning the chicken in pan, 5 minutes on each side. Reserve the drippings in pan. 2. Add the onion and mushroom
Read more