Monday, December 4, 2023

Mostaccioli di Mamma

 
Mostaccioli di Mamma
These traditional Italian Mostaccioli di Mamma cookies are a must for your Christmas holiday cookie platter. They are an almond base, soft, chocolaty, spicy, honey-flavored cookie.
Ingredients
5 ½ cups all purpose flour 780 grams
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon cinnamon
2 oz unsweetened cocoa powder (⅔ cup )
1 pound coarsely ground almond (3 ½ cups)
6 eggs extra large, room temperature
1 pound honey 1 ⅓ cups, slight warmed
1 cup granulated sugar
zest of 2 oranges
juice of 1 orange
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Good quality chocolate for glazing. I prefer a bittersweet chocolate...at least 70%

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, sift together dry ingredients. (flour, baking powder, cloves, cinnamon, and cocoa).

Add ground almonds and incorporate with the dry ingredients. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs for 2-3 minutes.

Add honey. Continue to whisk until well thickened.

Add sugar. Beat well.

Add orange zest, juice and extract.

Switch to paddle attachment. Add flour mixture until just combined. (Dough will be soft and sticky).

Working with dough in small batches, place on well-floured wooden board and roll out to ¼ - ½" thick. 

With a rhombus-shaped cutter or with a knife cut dough (I use a 2-inch cutter). 

Place on cookie sheets.

Continue until all the dough has been shaped. Leftover dough trimmings can be re-rolled. 

Bake at 350° F for about 15-18 minutes or until firm to touch.

                          Let cool completely before glazing with chocolate.
                          Notes
                          If you find the dough too soft to handle, you can add a little bit more flour. Also, you can try refrigerating the dough-the honey will make the dough firm up a little bit.

                          As every oven is different, I recommend baking one cookie in order to get the right baking time. Remember, when the cookies are firm to the touch, that is to say, leave no imprint when gently touched, they are done. The longer they stay in the oven, the harder and crispier they get.

                          For the chocolate glaze, melt the chocolate in a double boiler. With a pastry brush, coat the mostaccioli with chocolate.Can be stored in an airtight container, in a cool place for weeks.

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