Pizzelle

By norsegal8

These are the wafers you find fanned out atop a scoop of gelato or served along fresh sugared berries in Italy. They are among the simplest cookies to make - the batter is whisked together in under 5 minutes and the wafers are baked on fancifully imprinted pizzelle irons in less than half that time. Traditionally flavored with anisette, crispy pizzelle can take vanilla, almond or a few spoonfuls of lemon zest. Whether you use a hand-held , over the burner iron or an electric iron, follow the the manufacturer's directions when it comes to seasoning and greasing it.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 large eggs
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon anisette or 1 teaspoon anise extract
• 3/4 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• powdered sugar, for dusting

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the pizzelle iron, and grease or spray it if suggested in the manufacturer’s instructions. Set out a cooling rack for the baked cookies.
Put the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl and whisk to blend; set aside.
In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and salt until foamy, then gradually whisk in the sugar. When the mixture is smooth, whisk in the liqueur or extract, followed by the melted butter. Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in the dry ingredients. You’ll have a shiny, fairly thick batter that mounds easily on a spoon.

BAKING THE PIZZELLE
Using about 2 teaspoons of batter for each pizzelle, place the batter in the center of the iron, close the iron, and bake for about 2 minutes, or until golden and firm. Don’t open the iron to peek until the steam stops. As soon as the pizzelle is baked, remove from the iron to a cooling rack and continue making pizzelle with the remaining batter. Should any of the cookies need coaxing to come off the iron, nudge them with a fork or spatula and then peel them off with your fingers. If you want to cut the pizzelles into quarters or roll them into cones, do it the instant they come off the iron, piping hot and still pliable. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

STORING
Stacked between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container, pizzelle will keep at room temperature for at least a week.