Recipe: Espresso-Hazelnut Russian Wedding Cakes

ESPRESSO-HAZELNUT RUSSIAN WEDDING CAKES
Source: The Joy of Coffee: The Essential Guide to Buying, Brewing, and Enjoying by Corby Kummer
Makes 4 dozen cookies

Usually called Russian tea cakes or Mexican wedding cakes, these crumbly spheres disappear in your mouth just as you're registering how incredibly good they are. Hazelnuts and espresso-grind coffee make them much more interesting than the plain walnut versions you've doubtless tried. The coffee amplifies the nuttiness and cuts the sweet- ness. These are by far the best version I've ever tasted of these dangerously good cookies.

1 cup whole hazelnuts
2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided use
FOR THE COOKIES:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon finely ground coffee, preferably espresso
1 cup all-purpose flour
FOR THE COATING:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon finely ground coffee, preferably espresso

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, with a rack in the middle.

TO PREPARE THE HAZELNUTS:
Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet. Toast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the smell permeates the air. To see if the nuts are toasted, cut one in half; it should be golden brown in the center. Remove from the oven; let cool slightly. To remove the skins, place the nuts in a tea towel, cover with another towel and rub; the skins will slip off.

Finely chop the hazelnuts in a food processor with a tablespoon the granulated sugar. The sugar helps prevent the nuts from turning into paste. Set aside.

TO MAKE THE COOKIES:
In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, cream together the butter, the remaining tablespoon granulated sugar and the confectioners' sugar, about a minute.

With the mixer running, add the vanilla and ground coffee and blend for about a minute more.

Add the flour and hazelnuts and mix well on medium speed. The dough should be firm and not sticky, and should form a ball around the mixing paddle or beaters.

Form the dough into two 12-inch-long logs. Cut each log into 24 even pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and place on an ungreased baking sheet (or a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper) about ,4 inch apart.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until firm and lightly golden.

MEANWHILE, MAKE THE COATING:
Combine the confectioners' sugar with the coffee in a small paper or plastic bag.

When the cookies are done, immediately place 3 or 4 cookies at a time in the bag and shake to coat. Cool on a rack.

After the cookies are cool, repeat the coating procedure.

Store in an airtight container for up to a week or freeze for up to 4 months.