Amadeus Cookie Recipes

NIPPLES OF VENUS (CAPEZZOLI DI VENERE)

Steps:

• Cream sugar and butter together with a spatula until light and creamy. Set aside.
• Heat an inch of water in a pot set over low heat. Melt dark chocolate in a heat-proof bowl placed over the pot. Stir with a small spatula.
• Place chestnuts in a food processor; pulse on and off until very finely ground. Add chestnuts to the sugar-butter mixture and stir until combined. Add salt, cayenne pepper, vanilla extract, and brandy. Stir well. Pour in the melted chocolate and mix again until filling is well blended.
• Scoop filling onto a silicone-lined baking sheet and smooth out if necessary. Cover the balls in plastic wrap and refrigerate while you prepare the white chocolate coating.
• Reserve about 20% of the white chocolate to stir in later. Melt the rest in a heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water until an instant-read thermometer inserted in to the chocolate reads 105 degree F (41 degrees C). Add the reserved white chocolate and stir until melted.
• Place 1 chocolate truffle on a fork and hold it up above the white chocolate coating. Spoon on the white chocolate until ball is well coated. Use another fork to push the truffle onto a lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining truffles and coating. Place the bowl of coating back over hot water if it chocolate starts to harden.
• Mix confectioners' sugar with enough milk to make a very thick paste that will hold together well. Dye it pink with red food coloring. Transfer into a piping bag and pipe a small dot on top of each truffle. Serve truffles in paper candy cups.

AMADEUS COOKIE

Steps:

• 1. Cookie Dough: In a large bowl, combine the butter, both sugars, and the egg and beat at medium speed until creamy. Next add the lemon juice, lemon rind and vanilla extract, mix well. Fold in the flour, salt and baking powder, mixing at low speed until combined. Halve the dough, Shape into 2 balls, flatten slightly, and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 hours.
• 2. Pistachio & Almond Filling: Use a food processor, and process the pistachios with the sugar until finely ground. Gradually add the almond paste pieces and process until it is well combined. Now you will want to add the cherry juice (or kirsch) and the vanilla extract and process until it is all combined. Expect it to be fairly thick... Set aside at room temperature until needed.
• 3. Chocolate Glaze: Microwave: in a small deep dish, carefully melt the bittersweet chocolate and the oil. Mix together until smooth.
• 4. Making Cookies: Line your baking sheet with parchment and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Keep the ball of dough you are not using in the fridge until you are ready for it. Working quickly, place the dough on top of lightly floured parchment paper and roll out with a floured rolling pin to a 1⁄8" - 1/4" thickness. With a 3⁄4" round cookie cutter, cut out 18 cookies. Repeat with remaining dough. Place cookies 1" apart and bake for 6 - 8 minutes (watch carefully, they burn quickly). Cool completely on rack before filling.
• 5. Assembling the Cookie: Spoon 1 tsp of filling onto 18 cookies and then top with the remaining cookie. Gently press cookies together to sandwich them. Lastly dip half of each cookie into the chocolate glaze; hold the cookie over the bowl of chocolate, once the excess chocolate has dripped off place on a cookie rack to harden.