Recipe(tried): Classic Pizzelles & Chocolate Pizzelles

Hi - This is one of my traditional Christmas cookies. I have an electric grid Pizzelle Baker - the reverse side of the grid is for Belgian Waffles.

Classic Pizzelles

6 eggs
3 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 Tbsp anise or almond flavoring (I prefer the almond) THIS IS CORRECT - 2 Tbsp of extract!
1/4 tsp. vanilla ext.
2 sticks regular margarine, melted (do not use more or substitue oil or butter or low-fat marg.)
4 tsp. baking powder

Beat eggs, adding sugar gradually. Beat til smooth.

Add cooled margarine and vanilla & almond extracts

Sift flour and baking powder (I don't bother with this step)
Blend into egg mixture until smooth. Dough will be sticky enough to be dropped by teaspoonsful.

Bake in Pizzelle Baker. Makes approximately 100 small pizzelles.

Chocolate Pizzelles

1/2 c. cocoa
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
Sift cocoa, additional sugar and baking powder into dry ingredients for Classic Pizzelles.

Blend into egg mixture until smooth.

HINTS ON USING PIZZELLE MAKER:

Preheat until the indicator light goes OFF.

Even though my griddle is Teflon, I always end up throwing away the first batch - it sticks, and you have to scrape away those crumbs out of the indentations - makes me crazy! However, last time, I sprayed the surface with Pam for the first batch only, and that seemed to help - it still was a throw away, but not so many areas of sticking crumbs.

From that point on, they shouldn't stick.

Place one heaping teaspoon of dough in center of each pizzelle circle. Close lid and press together for a few seconds (watch out, the steam burns as it comes out from between)

Bake until golden brown, about 30 seconds - I time mine so that when the steam STOPS coming out, I lift the lid and they're usually ready then.

Just take a fork tine, and gently pull an edge - they should peel right off easily - put each one on a rack for cooling. Close grids back up to keep the temperature up.

At this point, while they're still hot and flexible, you can roll them into icecream cone shapes for cooling. Also, can roll them around some type of tube for filling with other dessert mixes - like the filling for canolis.

As soon as you put the next dough in to start cooking - I take that 30 seconds and sprinkle confectioner's sugar over both sides of the cooling pizzelles.

You get into a rythmn of dropping the dough, closing the lid, sprinkling the powdered sugar, transferring the cooled ones over to wax paper, and then it's time to open up the grid again, and start over!

It goes fast for 100 cookies! Also, very messy! But worth it.

Enjoy your day tomorrow.

June