Biscoitos Açoreanos

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Electric mixer or wooden spoon
• •Large mixing bowl
• •Baking sheets
• •Parchment paper
• •Wire cooling rack

Instructions

1. 1

   Cream butter and sugar

   In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes with an electric mixer or 5 minutes by hand. The mixture should turn pale and increase in volume. This is where the tenderness comes from. Don't rush it.

   The butter must be properly soft, not melted and not cold. Press it with your finger: it should give easily but hold its shape. This is the difference between tender cookies and tough ones.
2. 2

   Add eggs and flavorings

   Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then add the whole egg and beat until fully incorporated. Mix in the vanilla extract and lemon zest. The batter should be smooth and glossy, smelling of butter and citrus.

3. 3

   Mix in the flour

   Add the salt to the flour and whisk briefly to combine. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three additions, mixing on low speed or stirring by hand until just combined. The dough will be soft but workable. If it feels too sticky, refrigerate for 15 minutes. If it feels dry and crumbly, your butter was too cold. Let it warm slightly and try again.

   Don't overmix once the flour goes in. Overworked dough makes tough cookies. Stop the moment you don't see any dry flour.
4. 4

   Shape the rings

   Heat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and line two baking sheets with parchment. Lightly flour your work surface. Pinch off a walnut-sized piece of dough, about 20g. Roll it between your palms and then on the counter into a rope about 12cm long and 1cm thick. Bring the ends together to form a ring, pressing gently to seal. The ring should be about 5cm across. Place on the prepared sheet, spacing cookies 3cm apart. Repeat with remaining dough.

   Island grandmothers shaped hundreds of these by feel, never measuring. Your hands will learn the right size after the first few. Don't worry about perfection. Slightly irregular rings have more character.
5. 5

   Bake until golden

   Bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges turn golden and the tops are just set. The cookies will still feel slightly soft when you touch them. That's correct. They firm up as they cool. Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

6. 6

   Cool completely

   Let the cookies cool completely before storing or serving. They'll develop that characteristic texture: crisp on the outside, tender within. Serve with strong coffee for dipping, the way every Azorean grandmother intended. Biscoitos Açoreanos keep for up to two weeks in an airtight container, though they rarely last that long.

Chef Tips

• •The quality of your butter determines everything here. Use the best you can find. European-style butter with higher fat content makes an even more tender cookie.
• •Some Azorean families add a splash of aguardente (grape brandy) to the dough. Others use anise extract instead of vanilla. Both are traditional. Ask your grandmother which she prefers.
• •For a glossy finish, brush the tops with beaten egg before baking. This is optional but makes them shine beautifully.
• •These freeze wonderfully. Shape the rings, freeze on a sheet until solid, then store in a bag. Bake directly from frozen, adding 2 to 3 minutes to the baking time.

Advance Preparation

• •The dough can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before shaping, about 30 minutes.
• •Shaped unbaked rings can be frozen for up to 2 months. Bake directly from frozen.
• •Baked cookies keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 weeks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 25g)