Pizzelle Magic

I received a pizzelle press for Christmas or my birthday last year (I always forget what I got for which because they are so close together).  In case you’re wondering a pizzelle is a flat cookie pressed in an iron to give it a lacy pattern.  They are light and delicate with a little bit of crispness but not too much to create a crumbly mess when eaten.

The other day I dusted off the press and came up with a recipe for spiced pizzelle.

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

3 eggs

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 Tbs. vanilla extract

1 Tbs. garam masala

1 Tbs. Grand Marnier

Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.  Using a hand mixer combine  sugar and eggs.  Add butter, vanilla and Grand Marnier.  Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined.  Do not over mix.

How cute is this tiny bottle of Grand Marnier?

Adding just the right amount of batter to the press is a little tricky.  It’s easy to have not enough or add way too much…

Oops.  Way too much batter.  Not to worry, just cut the cookie out with scissors.

Shape hot of the press cookies into cones or cylinders to make ice cream cones or cannoli.

That evening BFF came over and brought filling for the cannoli.  It was….a revelation.  I can’t begin to describe how amazing this filling was.  I could eat an entire bowl of it if someone didn’t stop me.  Just a bowl of this filling and a spoon, that’s all I need to make my life complete.

She made it out soft whole milk cheese (that she made herself the night before), caramel, whipping cream and just a little sugar.  Here is the secret…the caramel was made from sweetened condensed milk.  Take the wrapper off the can, place in a pot of boiling water and boil for 3 hours.  Yes, 3 hours.  Keep checking the pot to add more water.  The end result is something you would sell your soul for.

Eat your heart out Tony Soprano.