Florentine Wedding Cakes
Quentin Bacon
To toast the hazelnuts, place whole nuts in an 8- or 9-inch-wide pan and bake in a 350° oven, shaking pan occasionally, until golden brown under skins, 10 to 12 minutes. Pour nuts onto a clean kitchen towel and rub to remove loose skins; lift nuts from towel, leaving skins behind. You can store the cookies airtight for up to 3 days.
How to Make It
Step 1
1
In a bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, or in a food processor, beat or whirl butter, 1/3 cup powdered sugar, and the vanilla, almond extract, and flour until smooth and well blended. Stir in hazelnuts.
Step 2
2
Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls and place about 1 inch apart on buttered or cooking parchment-lined 12- by 15-inch baking sheets.
Step 3
3
Bake in a 300° oven until cookies are pale golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes; if baking more than one pan at a time, switch pan positions halfway through baking. Let cool on sheets for 5 minutes.
Step 4
4
Place remaining 1 1/3 cups powdered sugar in a shallow bowl. Gently turn warm cookies in sugar, a few at a time, then set on racks to cool. When cool, coat cookies again with sugar. Arrange in a single layer and dust evenly with cocoa powder.
Step 5
5
Note: Nutritional analysis is per cookie.
Ingredients
1 cup (1/2 lb.) butter, at room temperature
1 2/3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup minced toasted hazelnuts (see notes)
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
Directions
Step 1
1
In a bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, or in a food processor, beat or whirl butter, 1/3 cup powdered sugar, and the vanilla, almond extract, and flour until smooth and well blended. Stir in hazelnuts.
Step 2
2
Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls and place about 1 inch apart on buttered or cooking parchment-lined 12- by 15-inch baking sheets.
Step 3
3
Bake in a 300° oven until cookies are pale golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes; if baking more than one pan at a time, switch pan positions halfway through baking. Let cool on sheets for 5 minutes.
Step 4
4
Place remaining 1 1/3 cups powdered sugar in a shallow bowl. Gently turn warm cookies in sugar, a few at a time, then set on racks to cool. When cool, coat cookies again with sugar. Arrange in a single layer and dust evenly with cocoa powder.
Step 5
5
Note: Nutritional analysis is per cookie.
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