Raspberry Hazelnut Schnitten

This recipe was the first-place winner in the “Other Cookie” category in the 2014 Holiday Treat Contest in the News & Observer on December 10,2014.

Thanksgiving weekend is when I start the annual tradition of baking cookies for Christmas. Luckily I have a large freezer and I can preserve the baked delights until Christmas Eve. I usually make at least a dozen different types of cookies and I take them out of the freezer as needed. Over the next few weeks I will share some of my favorite recipes.  This week’s featured cookie is my daughters favorite, raspberry hazelnut schnitten. This Austrian delight consists of a shortbread cookie topped with raspberry jam and hazelnuts and then dipped in chocolate—they make you feel like you have died and gone to cookie heaven!

Servings: 24 cookies

Shortbread Dough

½ C Salted Butter (at room temperature)

1/3 C Granulated Sugar

1 Lg Egg

2 C All-Purpose Flour

Filling/Topping *

½ C Raspberry Preserves (seedless) *

½ C Toasted Hazelnuts (chopped coarse)

6 oz Semisweet Chocolate

Spread the whole hazelnuts on a cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 325 oven for 10 minutes stirring occasionally, or until the skins begin to brown.  Place the toasted hazelnuts on a clean kitchen towel and rub them until most of the skins rub off.  Cool them completely and then chop them finely.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy.  You will see it change color and texture until it gets lighter in color and fluffy. Beat in the egg until completely incorporated.  Add the flour and mix until it forms a ball. Divide the dough into 2 round balls.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for EXACTLY 1 hour.  If you refrigerate any longer the dough will get too hard to roll out. 

Preheat oven to 350°. 

Draw a 15”x4” rectangle on a sheet of wax paper and flip over so that drawing is on the bottom. Roll out each ball of dough between two sheets of wax paper (one had the rectangle) into a 15 x 4 inch rectangle.  Peel the top sheet of wax paper off of the dough and trim the sides. You can use the trimmings to fill in the corners. Flip over the wax paper with the dough and place it on a cookie sheet that has been covered with parchment paper, then peel off the remaining wax paper.  Fold the sides inward ½ inch, keeping the sides even, to form a lip around the edge of the dough (see photo 1). Repeat for the second ball of dough. Carefully spread half the jam on each rectangle of dough and sprinkle the hazelnuts on the jam (see photo 2).

Bake the cookies for 20-25 minutes until the edges are lightly browned. Leave the baked cookies on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes.  While still warm, cut each rectangle into 12 slices.  Place the cut slices on a wire cooling rack until completely cooled.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or on a low setting in your microwave, stirring frequently until just melted.  Dip the long end of each cookie into the melted chocolate being careful not to burn your fingers in the hot chocolate.  Let the excess chocolate pour off and place the cookie on a sheet of wax paper until completely cooled.  Place the cookies in an air tight container with wax paper between the layers of cookies.  The cookies can be frozen for up to 1 month if you want to make them ahead of time.

*  Cookie Variations – This is a very versatile recipe.  You can change a variety of the ingredients to customize it to your own tastes:

1.    Change the flavor of jam

2.    Change the nuts

3.    Dip in white chocolate

4.    Skip the chocolate and make a glaze of 1/4 C powdered sugar and 1 TBS hazelnut liquor

Hazelnuts

Hazelnuts, also called filberts, are a staple of Italian cooking.  While most Americans are familiar with Hazelnut coffee this sweet and healthy nut is commonly used in cookies and pastries.  One of my favorite foods is Nutella, a chocolate and hazelnut spread that is used instead of peanut butter in Italy.

To print a copy of this recipe go to Raspberry Hazelnut Schnitten.

Artichoke Bites

Makes 48 appetizers

The holidays are upon us and you are wondering what type of appetizers your guests will enjoy. Artichoke bites are simple to make yet your guests will rave about it and ask you for the recipe. They will melt in your mouth and release a burst of flavor that mingles the flaky pie shell, the savory artichoke topping and the sharp taste of the cheese blend.

Pie Crust *

1 lb. Lard (cold)

6 C sifted Flour

2 tsp Salt

1 ¼ C plus 1 TBS Ice Cold Water

Miniature Muffin Pan

Filling

8 oz. Jared Artichoke Topping *

6 oz. Sargento Shredded Italian Cheese Blend *

Blend the flour and lard using a pastry blender or your electric mixer on low speed.  Add the water and salt and mix with your hands until a ball forms.  Divide in half, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 15 minutes.  This will make two crusts. 

Preheat your oven to 425°.  Roll out the pie crust into two 11” circles on a floured board.  If you are using a prepared pie crust, let it stand at room temperature for 15 minutes and then unroll on a large cutting board. 

Using a 2-inch round cutter, cut out 48 rounds from the pie crust.  Using two thumbs press each round into the bottom of an ungreased miniature muffin cup.  Pierce the bottom of the pie crust four times with a fork.

Bake the tartlet pie crusts for 6 to 8 minutes in a 425° oven or until golden brown.  Carefully remove the tartlet crusts from the pan and place them on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes.

Note: The tartlet crusts can be made up to 2 days in advance if kept in an airtight container or frozen for up to two months.

Preheat oven to 350°. Place the tartlet crusts on a cookie sheet.  Fill each tartlet crust with ½ tsp of Artichoke Topping.  Top each filled crust with shredded cheese.  Bake the filled artichoke bites for 5 to 6 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden brown.  You must watch them so that they do not burn!

Place the baked bites on a serving tray and watch your company ask for more.

*  Pronto Substitutes

Pie Crust – Use Prepared Ready-to-Bake Pie Crust

Artichoke Topping – Use jarred Artichoke Topping, Bruschetta Topping, or Grilled Vegetable Toppings

Cheese Blend – Use Shredded Italian Cheese Blend or mix shredded Mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheese.

Artichokes

Artichokes are a unique food in the way they affect the taste of everything they touch.  Artichokes contain a chemical called Cynarin which has the unique capability of making everything you eat or drink taste sweet.  This unique capability gives artichokes the ability to enhance the flavor of any dish.  Artichokes not only taste good but they’re good for you! Artichokes are very rich in fiber and can help reduce cholesterol.

To print a copy of this recipe go to Artichoke Bytes

Homemade Gourmet Brick Oven Pizza

I’ve recently gotten sick and tired of soggy, cold delivery pizza but I don’t always have the time to make pizza dough. The answer to this lies in the in the same pizza parlor that delivers the soggy pizza. I’ve recently found out that most local pizza parlors will sell you their pizza dough and many mega marts also sell pizza dough in their prepared food section. I’ll usually stop on my way home for the dough, heat up my pizza stone and make great homemade pizza at home. You too can make a gourmet, sweet, salty, crisp crust brick-oven pizza in your own oven.

Makes 1 Regular Pizza

Pizza Stone

Unrimmed cookie sheet or Pizza Paddle

1 Regular Pizza Dough*

2 Medium Yellow Onions (sliced ¼” thick)

2 TBS Olive Oil

2 oz Gorgonzola Cheese (shredded) *

2 oz Sargento Part Skim Mozzarella (shredded)

All Purpose Flour

Preheat oven to 450°F for 1 hour with the pizza stone placed in the middle rack. This is critical if you want to mimic the char of a brick oven.

Cut the onion into ¼ inch slices. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the onions and turn the temperature down to medium low. Stirring frequently, cook the onions for 20-30 minutes until they turn a golden brown. Do not walk away or the onions will burn. This slow cooking process caramelizes the sugar in the onions turning them sweet. Let the onions cool for about 10 minutes at room temperature before putting them on the pizza.

Sprinkle the unrimmed cookie sheet or pizza paddle with flour to prevent the pizza dough from sticking. Roll out or stretch your pizza dough to a 12” round. Make sure that the dough easily slides on the cookie sheet or paddle before adding your toppings. You will actually slide your pizza directly onto the hot pizza stone.

Cover your pizza dough with the caramelized onions then top with the shredded mozzarella. Shred the gorgonzola directly onto the pizza. Gorgonzola is so soft that if you shred it ahead of time it will lump together.

Slide the pizza directly onto the hot pizza stone and cook for 7-10 minutes or until the bottom is golden brown. Remove from the oven using the baking sheet or pizza paddle. Let it sit for ~4-5 minutes before you cut it.

Alternative Pizzas

In place of the gorgonzola and caramelized onions you can make a traditional pizza with tomato sauce and mozzarella and any topping you like. However, less is more. Spread a thin layer of sauce before adding the cheese or topping and keep a sauce free edge of at least ½ inch. If you put too much sauce the pizza will be soggy.

* Pronto Substitutes

Pizza Dough – You have two choices here. You can make homemade pizza dough or you can go to your local pizza parlor and buy fresh made dough from them. I’ve found that most local pizzerias will sell you the dough for about $2.50 each.

Gorgonzola Cheese – Substitute Blue cheese or any other strong flavored cheese.

Pizza Stones

I’ve always been a fan of pizza with a crispy crust but I was never able to duplicate this at home. To achieve the crispness of a brick oven pizza you need to preheat a pizza stone for an hour in a very hot oven (450°F-500°F) so that when you slide the pizza onto the stone it does not cool off. If you don’t preheat the stone it will actually slow down the cooking process and lead to a soggy pizza.

To print a copy of this recipe go to Stracciatelle Soup.