Gardener's Holiday Means Solstice Cookies - P. 2

Recipe for Heirloom Pizzelle
Yields 18 to 24, depending on size:

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

flavoring: either 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla or the shredded rind of a lemon or half an orange or about 1/4 teaspoon anise oil (not anise extract) or for Bill a tablespoon of anise seeds

1/4 pound butter, melted and cooled, plus more for the iron

1 heaping cup cake flour or 1 scant cup all purpose flour, plus a bit more if needed

1 teaspoon baking powder (use only 1 1/2 teaspoons if doubling the recipe)

1/2 teaspoon salt

A pizzelle iron is a must; a pastry brush (for buttering the iron) and a knife with a long narrow point (for cookie prying) are nice but not essential. A small wire brush is a good cleaning tool for vintage baking irons. Otherwise, consult instructions that come with the gizmo.

• 1. Beat the eggs and sugar at medium speed until the mixture is thick and pale and falls from the beaters in a fat ribbon. While this is happening, melt the butter and thoroughly mix the cup of flour with the baking powder and salt.
• 2. When the egg mixture is ready, beat in the flavoring, then slowly add the butter.
• 3. Gently fold in the flour mixture by hand and set the batter aside, loosely covered, for 15 to 30 minutes.
• 4. Heat the pizzelle iron on a medium flame until a drop of water sizzles vigorously, not quite dancing but almost. Brush the plates lightly with melted butter. (Many recipes suggest cooking spray, not my idea of fun but if you use it all the time you probably like it).
• 5. Gently stir the batter/dough, which should be the texture of very stiff whipped cream. Add a bit more flour if it's softer but err on the light side; it's far easier to add more than try to compensate for too much. Put about a tablespoonful on the iron, spreading it out a bit as you deposit it. Slowly close the iron and use a table knife to remove anything that oozes out. Peek after about 30 seconds; the pizzelle should part from one side of the iron and the surface should look dry. If it's dark brown turn down the heat. Reclose iron (and turn if on stovetop) and cook about 30 seconds more.
• 6. Open iron, lift/pry off cookie and place on a cooling rack. If it's too thin, add a bit more flour. If it doesn't come off neatly, return iron to the heat to dry it out some more, then pry as necessary to clean the iron. Get the iron hotter and greasier next time; the pizzelle will tell you what it needs more succinctly than I can.
• 7. Attempt to prevent your husband from eating them all immediately. They keep well for 10 days or so in an airtight tin.

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