PIZZELLE

Tasty small round traditional Italian waffle cookies

easily made on a pizzelle iron.

6 EGGS – room temperature	1 CUP SUGAR
1 CUP OIL – vegetable or canola 3 CUPS FLOUR	2 TSPS VANILLA FLAVORING – or your favorite such as almond, lemon, anise.
3 TSPS BAKING POWDER – level	PINCH OF SALT

HEAT PIZZELLE IRON – according to directions as directions may differ from one to the other.

Beat eggs, add sugar, oil and vanilla (you can use any flavoring that you enjoy).  Sift flour, baking powder and salt together. Add to egg mixture and beat at high speed until light and lump free.

Check pizzelle iron to make sure it has heated.  Lightly grease the iron (I use oil) and carefully wipe any excess. Drop a teaspoon of dough on iron and cook until golden, about 1 minute.  NOT TO WORRY, the first one or two usually are a throw-away until the iron settles down and you are comfortable with the quantity of the mixture you pour onto the iron. Now the fun begins….bake away and lay finished pizzelles on wire rack to cool. 

If you want to, you can curl some around a small glad while it is still warm to make a cone shape that you can later fill with a custard cream or whipped cream.

NOTE: I always make Pizzelles on December 15^th, my Sister’s birthday. My sweet sister, Flora, a widow, traditionally helped me make these when she visited us at Christmas time.  Understand that Flora was neither a cook nor a baker.  At times she was frazzled if having to boil an egg.  However, she would get so excited at helping me bake these little treasures that she would always proudly exclaim, “Wait until I tell my friends when I go home that I’m a baker now”!  Every time I now make Pizzelles I still whisper up to her, “Yes you are, my dear Sister, yes you are indeed”! Happy Birthday!

BUON MANGIATA!

CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE POUND CAKE

This is such a delicious cake and so easy to make that when I do make it

I bake 2 and freeze one to have on hand for unexpected company.

1 CUP (2 sticks) BUTTER – room temperature	8 oz CHEAM CHEESE – room temperature
2 ¾ CUPS SUGAR	6 EGGS – room temperature
1TSP VANILLA OR ALMOND EXTRACT	2 ¼ CUPS CAKE FLOUR
1 TSP BAKING POWDER POWDERED SUGAR – for sprinkling	¾ CUP COCOA – use a very good quality

PREHEAT OVEN TO 325)

GREASE AND FLOUR 10-INCH BUNDT PAN

Cream butter, sugar and cream cheese together until soft and creamy.  Add eggs one at a time making sure to beat well before add the next egg after each addition. Add extract of your choice. Continue beating until all well combined.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and cocoa. When all well combined add half of the flour mixture to the butter and beat well. Add remaining flour mixture and beat for 2 or 3 minutes.

Pour batter into Bundt pan and bake for 60 to 75 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool I pan for 15 minutes on a wire rack and then carefully remove and return to rack to cool completely.

NOTES: Although it is totally delicious as is, you can optionally mix in mini chocolate chips or chopped walnuts or pecan to the cake just before adding the batter to the Bundt pan for variety. And since you sometimes can’t have enough chocolate why not make your favorite chocolate glaze and pour over the warmed cake. Or simply dust with some powdered sugar.

Following is one of my easy chocolate glazes.

BUON MANGIATA!

CHOCOLATE GLAZE

¼ CUP LIGHT CORN SYRUP	3 TBS WATER
2 TBS BUTTER	8 (1 OZ) SQUARES SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE
½ TSP VANILLA

Combine syrup, water, and butter in a small saucepan and slowly bring to a boil.  Remove from the heat, stir in vanilla and add chocolate.  Stir until the chocolate melts and the mixture is very smooth.  Let stand until the glaze reaches room temperature before spreading over cake.

Buon Mangiata!