60 gm butter
50 gm caster sugar
50 gm brown sugar
1 ⁄2 beaten egg
125 gm plain flour
60 gm hazelnut meal (see note)
1 ⁄2 tsp baking powder
NUTELLA FILLING
100 gm dark chocolate (60%
cocoa solids), finely chopped
Finely grated rind
of 1 ⁄2 orange
80 gm double cream
70 gm Nutella
1 Beat butter and sugar in an
electric mixer until pale and
creamy (5 minutes). Add egg
and continue to mix until
smooth, then add the flour,
hazelnut meal and baking
powder and stir until just
Baci di dama
MAKES ABOUT 25 // PREP TIME 20 MINS (PLUS CHILLING, COOLING) // COOK 20 MINS
Piedmont goes hand-in-hand with chocolate and hazelnut – it’s the
birthplace of Nutella, after all. These little biscuits, also known as
ladies’ kisses, combine both with just the right amount of crunch.
combined. Roll teaspoons of
dough into balls and arrange on
two oven trays lined with baking
paper, leaving about 6cm space
between each ball.Refrigerate
until chilled and firm (1 hour).
2 Preheat oven to1800C. Bake
biscuits, a tray at a time, until
just golden (10-12 minutes), then
cool. Repeat with second tray.
3 For Nutella filling, place all
ingredients in a bowl over a
saucepan of simmering water
(don't let bowl touch water),
and stir occasionally until
smooth (5 minutes). Transfer to
refrigerator and stir occasionally
until firm (1 hour).
4 Spread a teaspoon of Nutella
filling onto the flat side of half
the biscuits, then sandwich
with remaining biscuits. Baci will
keep in refrigerator in an airtight
container for about 5 days. Bring
to room temperatureto serve.
NoteMaking hazelnut meal
fresh from roasted hazelnuts
yields the best flavour.●