Italian Pizzelle Using Anise
Submitted by patdoern
Traditional Italian anise pizzelle cookies pressed on a pizzelle iron with orange and lemon zest. A huge batch recipe that makes up to 20 dozen crisp, lacy waffle cookies.
YIELD
14 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
15 minREADY
60 minPizzelle are the Italian cookies you find at every holiday table, christening, and wedding. Thin, crisp waffle-patterned discs with a delicate anise flavor that improves over several days as the cookies age. This is a big-batch recipe designed for exactly those kinds of occasions.
Anise oil rather than anise extract gives these a more intense, authentic licorice flavor. A little goes a long way. The recipe also layers in orange zest, lemon zest, orange extract, lemon extract, and vanilla, creating a complex citrus-anise flavor profile that’s much more interesting than straight anise alone.
The batter consistency is everything. You’re adding flour gradually until the dough “glomps” off the spoon. That’s a great description of what you’re looking for: thick enough to hold its shape on the iron but still slightly runny. Too thick and the pizzelle come out dense and bready. Too thin and they spread too far and tear when you try to remove them.
One full teaspoon of dough in the center of the hot iron, pressed closed tightly, cooked about 1 minute. The cookies come off soft and pliable, then crisp as they cool on wax paper. Make sure that paper is smooth because these fragile cookies take the shape of every wrinkle underneath.
Pro Tips
- Make sure the melted shortening is cooled before adding to the eggs. Hot fat scrambles the eggs and ruins the batter.
- Don’t cover stored pizzelle. They need air circulation to stay crisp. Covered cookies go soft and lose their snap.
- Wait 3 to 7 days before eating if you can resist. The anise flavor deepens and mellows significantly with age.
Variations
- Roll warm pizzelle around a wooden dowel to shape them into cannoli shells.
- Drizzle cooled pizzelle with melted chocolate for a fancier presentation.
- Replace anise oil with almond extract for a nutty version that’s equally traditional in some Italian families.
Ingredients
Directions
You need a pizzelle iron to make the cookies.
These can be found at Safeway or any good Deli or specialty food or cooking store.
Whip the eggs until very frothy.
Add the sugar and cream well.
Add the melted shortening--be sure it is not hot--and cream well.
Add the flavorings and mix well.
I use anise oil because the flavor is more intense--use just a little more if you really like a strong anise flavor.
Measure half the flour in a very large bowl--8 quart size or better--add the egg mixture and mix together with a heavy wooden spoon--or any large spoon.
Add the remaining half of the flour one cup at a time and mix You have added enough flour when the mixture “glomps"off the spoon and is still a little runny--not real thick. Usually 7 cups of flour is adequate. Heat up the iron for a few minutes then make the cookies by placing 1 full teaspoon full of the dough in the center of each form. Press closed tightly and cook for about 1 minute. Immediately move the cookie to wax paper to cool. The cookies are very soft at this point and will take the shape of any bumps in the wax paper--so make it smooth. This recipe makes about 14 -20 dozen cookies depending on the size you make them. It can be cut in half easily without losing any flavor. When the cookies are thoroughly cool--crisp--stack them and leave them in the open--do not cover they will become very soft and unappetizing. If you can, do not eat them for about 3 days to a week. The flavor of the anise improves with a few days age.
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