Canestrelli Piemontesi

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Fine-mesh sieve for egg yolks
• •Pastry cutter or your fingertips
• •Rolling pin
• •5cm flower-shaped cookie cutter
• •Food processor for hazelnut paste
• •Baking sheets lined with parchment

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the egg yolks

   Place three eggs in a small saucepan and cover with cold water by one inch. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 12 minutes. Transfer eggs to ice water. When completely cool, peel and separate the yolks from the whites. Discard the whites or save them for another use. Press the yolks through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl. They should be dry and crumbly, like fine sand.

   The sieved yolks create the characteristic melt-in-your-mouth texture. Fresh yolks will not achieve this. The cooking removes moisture and changes the structure of the proteins.
2. 2

   Make the cookie dough

   In a large bowl, combine the flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Add the cold butter cubes. Using your fingertips or a pastry cutter, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized pieces remaining. Add the sieved egg yolks and vanilla. Mix gently until the dough just comes together. Do not overwork it. The warmth of your hands is the enemy.

3. 3

   Rest the dough

   Divide the dough in half. Flatten each portion into a disc, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least one hour. The dough must be thoroughly cold before rolling. You may refrigerate it overnight.

   If the dough cracks when you begin rolling, it is too cold. Let it sit at room temperature for five minutes. If it sticks to the rolling pin, it is too warm. Return it to the refrigerator.
4. 4

   Toast the hazelnuts

   While the dough chills, spread the hazelnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast in a 350°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until the skins crack and the nuts are fragrant and golden. Transfer immediately to a clean kitchen towel, fold the towel over, and rub vigorously to remove the skins. Some skin will remain. This is acceptable. Let the nuts cool completely.

5. 5

   Make the gianduia cream

   Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Set over a pan of barely simmering water, ensuring the bowl does not touch the water. Stir until just melted, then remove from heat. In a food processor, grind the cooled hazelnuts until they become a paste, scraping down the sides several times. This takes 3 to 4 minutes. Add the softened butter, powdered sugar, melted chocolate, and liqueur if using. Process until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until spreadable but not hard, about 30 minutes.

6. 6

   Roll and cut the cookies

   Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Working with one disc of dough at a time, roll on a lightly floured surface to 3mm thickness. This is thin. The cookies must be delicate. Using a 5cm flower-shaped cutter, cut as many shapes as possible. Transfer to prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2cm apart. Gather scraps, chill briefly, and reroll once. More than one reroll toughens the cookies.

7. 7

   Bake until pale

   Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. The cookies are done when the edges are barely golden and the tops remain pale. They will seem underdone. They are not. They will crisp as they cool. Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheet for five minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

   A golden-brown canestrello is an overbaked canestrello. These cookies should remain pale, almost white. The tenderness depends on not developing too much color.
8. 8

   Assemble the sandwiches

   Match cookies into pairs of similar size. Spread approximately one teaspoon of gianduia cream on the flat side of one cookie. Press the flat side of its partner gently on top. The filling should reach nearly to the edges but not squeeze out. Repeat with remaining cookies and cream.

9. 9

   Finish with sugar

   Place the assembled cookies on a wire rack set over parchment paper. Dust generously with powdered sugar through a fine-mesh sieve. The sugar should blanket the tops like fresh snow. Let the cookies rest for 30 minutes before serving. The filling will set slightly and the flavors will meld.

Chef Tips

• •Seek out Tonda Gentile hazelnuts from Piedmont if possible. Their flavor is more delicate and aromatic than Turkish or Oregon hazelnuts. Italian specialty shops sometimes carry them, or order directly from importers.
• •The gianduia cream can be made several days ahead. Bring to room temperature and stir well before using. It should spread easily without tearing the delicate cookies.
• •Store assembled cookies in a single layer in an airtight container, with parchment between layers. They keep for five days at room temperature. Do not refrigerate; the humidity softens them.

Advance Preparation

• •Cookie dough can be refrigerated for three days or frozen for one month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling.
• •Gianduia cream keeps refrigerated for one week. Bring to room temperature before spreading.
• •Baked, unfilled cookies store in an airtight container for one week. Fill the day of serving for best texture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 42g)