Saturday, December 11, 2010

Cookie Parties

I'm joining Johanna for her International Christmas Cookie Party over at
Silber & Rosen
Join the party over at Designs By Gollum for Foodie Friday
Cookie Exchange at Southern In My Heart
Sister Saturday Cookie Virtual Exchange at Gourmet Meals For Less
Sunday Showcase at Under The Table and Dreaming


One of my favorite cookies of all time and so very easy to do.
Grandma, Grandpa, Mom, Dad, Auntie and Uncle and all the kids and cousins
will rave over these very versatile and quick cookies.
You can even have them on a casual buffet table for a "make your own" dessert!




Pizzelle
Pizzelle (singular pizzella) are traditional Italian waffle cookies made from flour, eggs, sugar, butter or vegetable oil, and flavoring like vanilla, anise, or lemon zest. Pizzelle can be hard and crisp or soft and chewy depending on the ingredients and method of preparation.

 

Pizzelle were originally made in the Abruzzo region of south-central Italy. The name comes from the Italian word for "round" and "flat". Many other cultures have developed a pizzelle-type cookie as part of their culture like the Norwegian Krumkake.  It is known to be one of the oldest cookies, believed to have developed from the ancient Roman crustulum. Traditionally the cookie dough or batter was put into a pizzelle iron, which was held by hand over a hot burner on the stovetop. Typically the iron stamps a snowflake pattern onto both sides of the thin golden-brown cookie, which has a crisp texture once it is cooled. I use an electric pizzelle iron, which is very similar to a waffle iron, with a clamp to press the two sides of the iron together, which prevents the dough from puffing up.


There are thousands of recipes for pizzelle, here is a very basic one that makes about 18-20
cookies in my electric iron. I use both vanilla and anise.  Fresh lemon zest is also extremely
tasty!



The dough is quite thick and should not be runny like traditional waffle batter.
This is truly a cookie dough that is baked on an iron instead of the oven.



It takes some practice, just like with waffles, to know how much batter will be just the right amount.  Don't throw away the excess outside the design!  I just use a sharp paring knife while
the cookies are still warm and save it for sprinkles on ice cream sundaes.


Allowing your iron to return to very HOT between each baking is the key to success.
Depending on whether you like your cookies dark and crispy or soft and light colored,
determines how long to leave them in the locked iron.




Pizzelle are popular during Christmas and Easter and are also often found at Italian weddings, alongside other traditional pastries such as cannoli. It is also common for two pizzelle to be sandwiched with cannoli cream (ricotta blended with sugar) or hazelnut spread. Pizzelle, while still warm, can also be rolled by hand or on a wooden dowel to create cannoli shells or waffle cones for ice cream.

Remember ..... they are super easy, super tasty and always a hit with party guests or family.

23 comments:

  1. Hi Candy! We were thinking the same thing this week! Happy Thanksgiving:@)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hello Candy,
    thank you so much for joining my party. I love waffles but I never got them hard and crispy, mine are always weak and chewy. But I prefer them crispy. Your pizelle look great and I have to look after such a pizelle maker. That snowflake pattern is just like made for winter. Really a versatile cookie varation.
    The spoons you show in one of your photos catched my eyes. Are they cup measures? They look like Antique Silver, very nice.
    Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe.
    Greetings, Johanna

    ReplyDelete
  3. I haven't tried making pizelles before, but I like all your wonderful photos that make it look like I might want to give it a try. I especially like your Fiesta collection. I have quite a bit of the new Fiesta, but haven't collected any of the older. I am a new follower.
    CAS

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hy Candy,
    i love waffels.
    Thank's for your recipe.
    Have a nice week.
    Greetings from
    Moni

    ReplyDelete
  5. We are such pizzelle fans. I received an iron for my wedding and had never heard of them but have made them many times since. Yours make my mouth water. Yum.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Yum. Never heard of this before. Love the pattern that the iron makes.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love pizelles, but didn't know there was an appliance to make them. Ahhh, something else to add to my wish list.

    ReplyDelete
  8. YUM! Pizelles are so pretty, too, aren't they? I love them. And now you have me wanting a pizelle iron! One more item for the wish list!

    Visiting from Foodie Friday :-)

    ReplyDelete
  9. All the pizzelle are long gone, need to make a few more batches! YUMMY.

    Thanks so much for stopping by to have a cookie with me, I do appreciate your visits.

    Johanna, those are little measuring spoons that came from one of our local hardware stores! I think the wife of the owner must love cooking and dishes because the housewares department has wonderful things for the kitchen and the table. :-) Those little spoons have appeared here on TLRT before .... I think it might have been for Silver Sunday.

    I found the link:
    http://happenstancestuffhappens.blogspot.com/2010/08/salad-interrupted.html

    See you all again soon!

    Candy

    ReplyDelete
  10. These look quite fancy and yummy to boot! I'm your new follower and invite you to visit and follow me, too.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi Candy! Oh, those are some of the prettiest treats I have ever seen! And they sound just delicious too. Your photos are gorgeous and I love how they look on the little cake stand. And, can I just tell you how beautiful your Christmas tree looks too? Just gorgeous!
    Thank you so much for linking up to our Cookie Exchange!
    Vanessa

    ReplyDelete
  12. Beautiful! I want pizzelle maker now! Thank you so much for sharing your cookies at our Sister Saturday cookie exchange! Now I'm off to find me a pizzelle maker... ;o)

    ReplyDelete
  13. These are so pretty and look so yummy! My husband was just telling me today that he wants me to buy one of these so he can make these Pizzelles. I might just have to buy one :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. goodness, i love pizzelles! pizzelles and ice cream, why didn't i think of that!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Beautiful and looks very yummy!
    Happy Showcase Sunday~~~

    Smiles,
    Kay Ellen

    ReplyDelete
  16. Too pretty to eat! Although I wish I could! They're beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I just bought a new pizzelle maker yesterday! I bought my first iron 20 years ago, shortly after we were married, and it served me well until last summer. I hope this new maker produces the same thin crisp cookies.

    ReplyDelete
  18. This is a dangerous post! Every time I come back to it, I whip up another batch of cookies. :-)

    If you haven't discovered these cookies yet, let me tell you they make a great breakfast!

    Candy

    ReplyDelete
  19. I'm making these for the first time on Monday. Playing hooky with my daughter. Should be fun! I bought an iron last week. Can't wait.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I think you will love them Vicki ..... I admit freely that I am addicted to them! It's a cookie and pretty and really easy, what can be wrong with that??? LOL

    Candy

    ReplyDelete
  21. I love these. Maybe I will begin a hunt for an iron.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Jayna, they are so delicious and the iron makes it just a breeze to whip up a batch!

    Candy

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for your lovely comments.

Related Posts with Thumbnails