These delicate Italian whipped pastry cookies have a tender, buttery crumb and the prettiest piped edges. Embellish with jam, glazed cherries, or chocolate for a festive biscotti di frolla montata that rivals any Italian bakery.
Italian whipped pastry cookies, biscotti di frolla montata, are a traditional deal with you’ll spot in Italian bakeries all vacation season lengthy. This recipe for these delicate, buttery cookies comes from my Italian pal who taught me how simple it’s to make them at residence!
Whipped shortbread cookies are related in spirit to a conventional pasta frolla base, however the mixing methodology makes the dough a lot lighter and simpler to pipe into swirls. For those who love melt-in-your-mouth treats like my chocolate chip whipped shortbread or chocolate whipped shortbread, these are a lovely addition to any festive cookie tray.
Ingredient Notes
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour and sift it effectively so the cookie dough pipes easily with a tender, ethereal texture.
- Powdered sugar: Powdered (icing) sugar provides these cookies their delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Butter: Very tender butter is crucial. The butter should whip till creamy and lightweight to offer the dough that traditional “frolla montata” texture.
- Egg: Use a room-temperature egg so it blends evenly into the whipped butter and sugar.
- Vanilla extract: Vanilla provides traditional pastry-shop taste. Pure vanilla works finest.
- Citrus zest: Whereas non-compulsory, somewhat orange or lemon zest provides a conventional Italian contact.
- Baking powder: This helps the whipped shortbread cookies maintain their form whereas nonetheless baking up tender.
- Salt: A pinch balances the sweetness and enhances the buttery taste.
Make Italian Whipped Pastry Cookies
In a medium bowl, sift collectively the flour, baking powder, and salt so all the pieces combines evenly.
Subsequent, cream softened butter till creamy, then combine within the powdered sugar somewhat at a time. Maintain whipping till the combination appears pale and fluffy, that is what provides the cookies their delicate texture.
Beat within the egg, vanilla, and citrus zest (if utilizing) then combine within the sifted flour combination in two additions on low pace till the dough is tender, ethereal and whipped. It needs to be pipeable, not stiff.
Switch dough to a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe the cookies in your favorite shapes, rings, S-shapes, rosettes, or easy traces. For those who’re utilizing glazed cherries, jam or an entire hazelnut, place them on the cookies earlier than chilling.
Place the baking sheet within the fridge so the shapes maintain whereas baking then bake till the perimeters simply begin to flip frivolously golden and even frivolously golden brown in the event you want. Cool on the baking sheet earlier than shifting them to a rack.
As soon as utterly cooled, the whipped shortbread ends will be adorned as you want.
recipe suggestions
- Use very tender butter: The butter needs to be nearly spreadable so it whips simply with the powdered sugar. I prefer to set my butter on the counter 45 minutes as much as an hour earlier than making the whipped shortbread cookie dough.
- If the dough feels too agency, add a contact of milk: Begin with 1 teaspoon at a time till the consistency softens sufficient to pipe.
- Pipe instantly: Don’t chill the dough earlier than piping or it’ll harden and be troublesome to form. Chill solely after piping so the cookies maintain their form within the oven.
- For clear edges: Maintain the piping bag vertically and apply regular stress to get even rings, S-shapes, or swirls.
- Bake simply till set: They need to be pale with frivolously golden bottoms and frivolously golden across the edges.
Adorning Whipped Shortbread Cookies
As soon as the whipped pastry cookies are piped or baked, you may enhance them similar to those you would possibly see in Italian bakeries. Listed below are essentially the most conventional choices:
- Glazed cherries: Place half of a pink or inexperienced glazed cherry within the heart of every cookie earlier than baking. This is without doubt one of the most traditional bakery appears.
- Jam: Pipe a small dot of your favourite jam (apricot jam is a favourite) within the heart of the formed dough earlier than baking.
- Chopped nuts: Finely chopped pistachios, almonds, or hazelnuts add colour and crunch. Gently press the nuts into the dough earlier than chilling the tray.
- Sprinkles: Add festive sprinkles earlier than baking for a colourful vacation end or after dipping ends into chocolate.
- Darkish chocolate dip: As soon as baked and utterly cooled, dip one finish of the cookie into melted darkish chocolate, then sprinkle with chopped pistachios or sprinkles.
These Italian whipped pastry cookies are mild, delicate, and unimaginable to withstand. Bake a batch and share the enjoyment of true Italian pasticceria with household and pals! Take pleasure in!
- 1½ cups all function flour (a tablespoon extra at a time if wanted) 188
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons powdered/icing sugar (sifted) 75g
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- ½ cup + 1 tablespoon butter (very tender) 125g
- 1 giant egg (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon zest (orange or lemon non-compulsory)
EXTRAS
- 2½ ounces darkish chocolate (melted) (extra if essential)
- 2-3 tablespoons powdered/icing sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons sprinkles or finely chopped nuts
- 3-4 glazed cherries (pink and or inexperienced)
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In a medium bowl sift within the flour, salt and baking powder.
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In a stand mixer or giant bowl beat the butter till creamy roughly 2 minutes, add the sifted powdered sugar half at a time, beat till mild and fluffy, roughly 3-4 minutes with the flat beaters, add the crushed egg and vanilla and zest if utilizing beat 1-2 minute on excessive with the whisk attachment.
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Add the sifted dry substances in two batches and whip on pace #2 till very tender and fluffy 1-2 minutes. If too dense add a tablespoon or two of milk.
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Instantly place the dough in a pastry bag with a ½ inch / 1 cm star (don’t chill the dough or it’ll grow to be too arduous to pipe).
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Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Form the cookies as desired, high with a cherry or jam. Chill the pan for not less than half-hour. Pre-heat the oven to 340F/170C.
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Bake for about 12-Quarter-hour or till frivolously golden. Let cool on the baking sheet for Quarter-hour then transfer to a wire rack to chill utterly earlier than dipping in chocolate or dusting with powdered/icing sugar. Take pleasure in!
retailer the Whipped Pastry Cookies?
Retailer the cookies in an hermetic container at room temperature. They maintain effectively for about 5–6 days and keep splendidly tender because of the butter-rich dough or freeze the baked, undecorated whipped shortbread cookies in a single layer till agency, then switch to a freezer-safe container. They maintain effectively for as much as 2 months. Thaw utterly earlier than adorning or dipping in chocolate.
Energy: 88kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fats: 5g | Saturated Fats: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fats: 1g | Trans Fats: 0.1g | Ldl cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 31mg | Potassium: 48mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 112IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg | Phosphorus: 32mg
recipe FAQs
Retailer the cookies in an hermetic container at room temperature. They maintain effectively for about 5–6 days and keep splendidly tender because of the butter-rich dough.
Sure. Freeze the baked, undecorated whipped shortbread cookies in a single layer till agency, then switch to a freezer-safe container. They maintain effectively for as much as 2 months. Thaw utterly earlier than adorning or dipping in chocolate.
This dough ought to really feel tender and whipped. If it’s troublesome to pipe, the butter might not have been tender sufficient or the flour might have been packed tightly. Give the dough a couple of minutes to relaxation at room temperature, or soften it barely between your arms to make piping simpler.
Spreading normally means the dough was too tender or the pan wasn’t chilled. Make certain to relax the formed cookies on the baking sheet for not less than half-hour earlier than baking, as famous within the recipe.
A big star tip (about 1 cm) creates the traditional ridges and shapes. The dough wants the ridged design to carry its form whereas baking, so keep away from utilizing suggestions which might be too small.
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