Hazelnut Baci di Dama

Free

Difficulty: Low
Time: 40 min (plus baking and resting time about 2 h and a half)
Quantity: 49 biscuits
Type: Classic Biscuits
Dietary requirements: Cream-free Vegan

Ingredients

200 g hazelnut flour

200 g granulated sugar

200 g all-purpose flour

200 g block margarine

2 g salt

100 g dark chocolate

Baci di dama are cookies made of two crumbly shortcrust spheres joined by a thin layer of chocolate. They are perfect with tea and coffee, but beware, they are so good it's impossible to stop. They are simple to make and the recipe is easy to remember because all ingredients have the same quantity. Today we'll make them hazelnut-flavored.

Method

In a bowl weigh the cold refrigerated margarine cut into cubes and the all-purpose flour. Mix by hand, or in a planetary mixer with the paddle, until a sandy texture is obtained.

Then add the other ingredients: salt, hazelnut flour and granulated sugar. Mix well until a compact dough is obtained.

Transfer to the work surface onto a sheet of cling film, and form a rectangular loaf about 18x22cm. Wrap with the film and refrigerate for 2 h. Cut the long side into 11 strips, obtaining strips 2cm each.

And the short side into 9 strips, to obtain 2x2cm squares. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes. From each square now make balls, pressing to form a sphere, not just rolling between the hands otherwise the dough crumbles.

Place the balls on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or a perforated silicone mat, spaced apart as they will spread slightly. Bake in a fan oven at 180˚C for about 18 minutes.

Let cool at room temperature. Melt the dark chocolate in the microwave or in a bain-marie until a temperature of 27-28˚, not higher, melting slowly. Transfer to a piping bag or paper cone.

Turn alternate cookies upside down. Put a small amount of chocolate on each inverted cookie, on the flat side.

Before the chocolate solidifies, pair a filled cookie with an unfilled one. Proceed this way with all cookies until all are paired. Transfer to a container or under a glass dome.