Recipe for Pizzelle Heaven
Food blogger Liren Baker shares her recipe for this traditional Italian cookie.
Around this time last year, childhood memories of our kindhearted Italian neighbors surged through me. I fondly reminisced about that sweet time in my youth, when I had time to read in the garden and smell the aromas coming from my mother's Filipino kitchen, and Mrs. B's Italian kitchen. Whifs of garlic and soy sauce would mingle with garlic and tomatoes, and once in a while, I would also smell sweet treats baking in the oven.
Our families often shared, making a little extra to bring over to one another, and over the years, many delicious treats were passed over the fence. Of those, my favorite were Mrs. B's Pizzelle, her Italian waffle cookies.
I set about to recreate them in my own kitchen, basing the recipe on the one that came from the pizzelle maker I purchased. The cookies were close. Really close. But you can imagine the thrill I felt when I was going through my mother's recipe folder recently, to find a yellow piece of lined paper, with my mother's notes as she observed Mrs. B make pizzelle on her treasured pizzelle maker.
"The kids will love them," she wrote. I made a batch, following the recipe, guided by my mother's handwriting. And yes, it was right. This was the recipe I had been looking for. My children agreed, it was even better than before.
This time, we ate them plain, but we also had lots of fun with them. A little too much fun.
Whether you decide to eat it plain, dusted with powdered sugar, smothered with chocolate filling, or as an ice cream sandwich, I know you will love it. It's perfect for this cookie season... and beyond.
Pizzelle
Makes about 24 cookies
3 large eggs, well beaten
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon anise extract
In a large bowl, add and beat the ingredients in the order listed, beating well after each addition. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the enter of the preheated pizzelle maker, about 2 tablespoons. It takes a little practice, but sometimes you have to drop the batter just a bit higher than the center, to allow for the waffle press. Close the lid and cook until the steaming stops, about 60 seconds. Remove the cookie with a fork and place on a cooling rack to dry.
