Alfajores: Caramel Filled Cookies with Coconut Flakes

These cookies are one of my absolute favorites. I first discovered them when I was in high school at an international food festival. Someone brought them in and as soon as I got home, I looked up the recipe.

 

The gooey, sweet, and creamy caramel and soft cookie on the outside just go so perfectly together.  

 

They are always a hit whenever I bring them to an event. Buon Appetito!

ingredients

12 tbsp. butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

2 egg yolks

2 1/2 cups corn starch

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp. vanilla extract

zest of 1/2 lemon

dulce de leche (sweetened condensed milk can)

grated coconut

 

let's make it

for the dulce de leche filling

1. Fill a small pot with water halfway and place on stove, low heat. 

2. Open up the can of sweetened condensed milk, and place it in the pot filled with water on the stove. 

3. Make sure there is enough water to cover the can, but not to overflow into it. 

4. Leave the can on low heat until the milk becomes dark, thick and creamy. About 1-2 hours.

for the cookies

1. Cream the butter and sugar together.

 

2. Add the 1 egg, 2 egg yolks, corn starch, flour, baking powder, vanilla extract, and zest of lemon. 

 

3. Mix all ingredients together and begin to knead the dough into a ball. 

 

4. Set aside in the fridge for 20 minutes. 

 

5. Once the dough has rested, take pieced of it and roll into little balls in the palm of your hands. 

 

6. Flatten them down onto a greased cookie sheet. 

 

7. Bake in a preheated 300 degree F oven for about 12 minutes, until golden light brown. 

 

8. Once the cookies are baked and have cooled, spread the dulce de leche on one cookie and make a sandwich with another cookie. 

 

9. Press the cookies together so that the dulce de leche comes out in between. Then dip the sides into coconut flakes. 

Classic Tiramisu

The ultimate Italian dessert, in my opinion is the Tiramisu. It is a classicwith  simple ingredients, and sure to be a hit at every gathering, especially for coffee lovers. 

"Tiramisu" litreally means "pick me up", and I can only guess that when you spoon into a soft, creamy, and coffee soaked sponge of a piece.... you will be picked up by all of its coffee and sugary goodness. 

This recipe is very simple, and is the way my mamma has always made it, and everyone always loves it whenever it makes an appearance. Buon Appetito! 

 Ingredients  

 

  4 egg yolks

4 egg whites

3/4 cup granulated sugar

16 oz mascarpone 

1 cup heavy cream

1 tbsp. rum

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

lady fingers (around 35)

dark chocolate (for shaving on top)

2-3 cups brewed espresso

let's make it 

1. In a mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks with sugar. I also choose to place the bowl in a pot of hot water, so it takes away the bacteria in the raw eggs. 

2. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. 

3. Combine both the egg whites and egg yolks with sugar together.

4. Add the mascarpone cheese to the egg mixture, and beat until smooth. Add the heavy cream, rum, and vanilla extract. 

5. Make the espresso coffee, and then place it in a low, flat pan. 

6. Dip the lady finger cookies in the espresso and begin to place them side my side in a baking dish. Once one layer of cookies is filled, pour the mascarpone cream over it. Continue until you have around 3 layers of cookies and cream in between.

7. Shave dark chocolate on the last layer. Freeze for about 2 hours before serving.     

Torta Caprese

 

Proverbio Italiano of the day

"Meglio da solo, che male accompagnato." 

 

Meaning: Better alone, than with bad company. Growing up my mom would always tell us this when choosing friends. 

When the holidays come around, one of my favorite things to do is cook and bake new recipes. This particular dessert seemed too delicious to pass up, and so I looked up various recipes and then made it my own. 

It's moist, fudgy, and pretty with the crackles on the top layer. It also is gluten-free since the ground up almonds is used as a substitute for flour. 

You might have to make more than one... mine was finished in one night! ;) Buon Appetito!

 Ingredients  

 

  12 oz unblanched whole almonds

1 1/4 cups sugar, divided

  8 oz bittersweet chocolate chips

2 sticks unsalted butter

6 large eggs

confectioner's sugar for sprinkling

2 tbsp rum (optional)

let's make it 

1. Preheat oven to 325°. 

2. Butter a cake pan, and line the bottom with parchment paper. 

3. Place the chocolate chips and butter in a bowl and melt in a microwave. You can also place them onto a pan on the stove and melt that way.  

4. In grinder or food processor, place the almonds and grind them up until the consistency is like flour. Set aside.

5. In another large bowl, beat the egg yolks. Gradually beat in 10 tbsp of sugar. Add the chocolate and butter mixture, and mix well. 

6. Add the ground up almonds into the mixture. Finally, add the rum and mix well. 

7. In a small bowl, beat the egg whites with the remaining sugar until firm peaks are formed. Fold the egg whites into the almond mixture and mix well. 

8. Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for 55 minutes. It will begin to form cracks on the top. You can stick a toothpick in the center to check if it is baked on the inside. When the toothpick is dry and not sticky, the cake is done.  

9. Once the cake is cooled, sprinkle on confectioner's sugar.  

Zia Delfina's Biscotti al Cioccolato e Cocco

Thanksgiving is the beginning of the joyous and oh so jolly (yay it's Christmas everywhere!!!) season of the year.

I remember when I was a little girl, my Zia Delfina would fill her cucina with all different types of Italian sweets and treats. She would have me help her dip chocolate and coconut on these cookies, and somehow I fell in love with the whole process of making them.   

Now every time I go back to Italy, I relive these sweet memories and make them all over again at our family parties with her.

I made this batch with my Mom for our Thanksgiving family feast. They are simple, sweet, and are sure to be a hit at your next gathering. Buon Appetito! 

 Ingredients  

2 cups all-purpose flour 

2 eggs

2/3 cup sugar

1 lemon

3/4 stick of butter

2 tsp. baking powder

 3 cups chocolate chips

1/2 cup milk

1 large bag of coconut flakes

 

let's make it

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 9 by 18 baking sheet. 

2. In a bowl, mix together eggs and sugar.

3. Add lemon zest and melted butter into the mixture. 

4. Use a tablespoon to add flour slowly to the mixture. 

5. Finally, add 2 teaspoons of baking powder to the mix.

6. Place the mixture onto the baking sheet, mold it into a rectangle.

7. Bake for 15-20 minutes until it has a touch of color. The cake should be a little soft, leave out to cool. 

 8. In a pan, heat the 3 cups of chocolate chips over the stove. Add milk slowly, continually stirring chocolate.  

9. Once the cake is cooled, cut it into little squares. Then begin to first dip the pieces one by one in the melted chocolate, followed by the coconut flakes. 

10. Place the finished cookies on a plate and keep refrigerated until ready to serve. 

Tres Leches Cake

When the holidays come around I love to be in the kitchen, crank up the radio with Christmas tunes, and cook/ bake up delicious recipes for my family and friends. 

It really is the best time of the year, and for some reason gets me in the spirit to cook and bake even more. This Tres Leches recipe I've been making since I first tried it in high school. It literally means three milks, since it consists of three different types of milk in the recipe. 

I make it when my family comes over or gathering together at a friend's home. It's super sweet, but the perfect ending to a great meal. Family, friends, and little brother approved ;) Buon Appetito! 

 Ingredients  

  1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup white sugar

5 eggs (separated)

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups whole milk

Filling

1 can 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk

1 can 12 oz. evaporated milk 

Topping

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup white sugar 

1 tsp. vanilla extract

let's make it

 
1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease and flour one 9x13 in. baking pan. 

2. In a bowl, sift flour and baking powder together and set aside. 

3. In another bowl, cream the butter and 1 cup of sugar together until fluffy. Separate the eggs, add the egg yolks in butter mixture. Beat egg whites on the side and then add it in the butter mixture. 

4. Add 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract to butter mixture. 

5. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture 2 tablespoons at a time. Mix until well blended. Pour the batter into the prepared greased pan. 

6. Bake at 350° F for 30-45 minutes. Once baked, pierce the cake several times using a for.

7. For the filling, combine the whole milk, condensed milk, and evaporated milk together. Once the cake is cooled, pour the mixture onto the cake. Let the cake absorb all of the milk.

8. For the topping, whip the heavy whipping cream, 1/4 cup of sugar, and 1 tsp. vanilla extract together until thick and fluffy. Spread topping over the cake. Keep cake refrigerated until ready to serve. Enjoy!

Raspberry Chocolate Tart

Proverbio Italiano of the day:

"Non è tutto oro quello che luccica."

Meaning: Not all that glitters is gold. Whenever I bring up a certain situation or complain about something to my Mamma, she always says this proverb to me. It's been engrained in my mind ever since.  

With Valentine's Day around the corner, I found myself flipping through certain magazines and I found this amazing recipe at the very end. 

The original recipe called for raspberry jam to be used as well, but I found that chocolate and fresh raspberries was simpler and delicious enough on its own. I also didn't have any raspberry jam on hand... but it worked out without better anyway :). 

It's super sweet, so make sure you do share and don't attempt to eat it all in one sitting. ;) Buon Appetito!

 Ingredients 

15-20 Oreo or cream-filled sandwich cookies

3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

8 oz. dark chocolate bar (chopped) or chocolate chips

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

2 large eggs

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. salt

fresh strawberries

powdered sugar

let's make it

1. Place cookies in a food processor until finely ground. 

Transfer the crumbs to a medium bowl and stir in melted butter until well combined. 

2. Press mixture firmly into a 9 inch tart pan. Freeze crust for about 30 minutes. 

3. Preheat oven to 350°. Remove the crust from freezer and bake in oven until it begins to smell chocolaty (8-10 minutes).  

4. Let crust cool for another 30 minutes. 

5. Place chopped chocolate or chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat until it begins to simmer. 

6. Pour hot cream over chocolate in bowl, let it stand for 2 minutes and then begin to stir until it melts into a smooth mixture. 

7. Whisk in the eggs, vanilla extract and salt. 

8. Pour the mixture into the crust and bake for 25-30 minutes. 

The tart sides should be set but the center still wobbly. 

9. Chill in the refrigerator for about 1-2 hours. 

10. Decorate with fresh raspberries and powdered sugar.

Crema al Cioccolato

Proverbio Italiano of the day:

"Chi va piano, va sanno e va lontano."

Meaning: Who takes it slow, goes safely and a long way. My Nonno has been telling me this quote ever since I could remember.

I love creams and pudding for that matter. There are many Italian pastries that have delicious cream fillings, and we make our own version of pannacotta, a cooked sweet cream.

But being a complete chocoholic, I had to try this version in a recent cookbook I purchased. After I made it and had everyone try it, I realized the original recipe had too much cinnamon. It's such a strong spice, that it only needs a pinch to give it a nice taste.

This recipe is great when you don't have much lying around in the house because it only calls for a few ingredients. Whip them up and you've got yourself a homemade delicious crema. Buon Appetito!

 Ingredients 

Serves 4

2 cups cocoa powder

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 teaspoons flour

1 cup milk

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 orange zest peel

dark chocolate pieces

Savoiardi (Italian Sponge Finger Cookies) to serve

let's make it

1. In a saucepan, mix the cocoa powder, sugar, flour, milk, butter, vanilla extract, and the cinnamon. 

2. Cook over gentle heat until the mixture comes to a boil, stirring constantly.

3. Remove from the heat and add the citrus peel zest. 

4. stir through, then leave to set before serving, the consistency should not be too thick. 

Serve with a savoiardo cookie. 

Limoncello Cake with Crema

I'm all about the chocolatey, gooey, super sweet desserts. But sometimes after a big meal, all you need is a simple but delectable sweet to finish it off. 

I adapted this recipe that I found in a magazine and made it my own. It's perfect when you're not quite sure what sweet to have after a dinner... serve it with a side of panna cotta sweet cream and una tazza di caffè. Buon Appetito!

 Ingredients 

Serves 8 to 12

Cake

4 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

2 cups flour, sifted

2 tbsp. Limoncello

1 tbsp. baking powder

1 tbspo. lemon zest

1/2 cup whole milk

butter and flour for coating pan

Crema

2 cups whole milk

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

6 egg yolks

1 cup augar

1/2 cup flour

2 tbsp. cornstarch

1 tbsp. butter

let's make it

Cake

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Grease and flour a 10 to 12 cup Bundt pan, or round pan. 

2. In a bowl using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar on medium until creamy and light yellow, 2 to 3 minutes. 

3. Stir in the flour, Limoncello, baking powder and lemon zest until just combined. Add milk and stir until it is all combined. 

4. Pour batter into the pan. Bake until a wooden toothpick inverted in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Leave cake cool. 

Crema 

1. In a saucepan, heat the milk over medium until almost boiling. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. 

2. In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks and sugar on medium until frothy and pale yellow, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cornstarch. Pour in the hot milk very slowly, whisking constantly and quickly to prevent the eggs from cooking. 

3. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, until almost boiling about 5 minutes. 

4. Remove from heat, stir in butter and let cool to room temperature before refrigerating. Slice cake in half and can place in between, or can scoop some beside a slice of cake.