CANESTRELLI ITALIAN COOKIES

Canestrelli Italian Cookies

Canestrelli a wonderfully delicious Italian Cookie, an almost shortbread type cookie but with a crunch, fast and easy. The perfect afternoon tea cookie. 

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

chilling time

2 hrs

Total Time

35 mins

Course: DessertCuisine: ItalianKeyword: crunchy and buttery cookie, fast and easy Italian Cookie Recipe Servings: 60 cookies Calories: 38kcal Author: Rosemary Molloy / An Italian in my Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1 cup all purpose flour (130 grams)
• 1/2 cup + 1 1/2 tablespoons powdered sugar (75 grams)
• pinch salt
• 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons corn starch (100 grams)
• 2/3 cup cold butter cut into pieces* (150 grams)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 hard boiled egg (use just the yolks)
• zest 1/2 lemon

*I use salted butter if you use unsalted add 1/4 teaspoon of salt.

Instructions

• Place eggs in a pot and cover with cold water, heat until boiling, then remove from heat and let sit 8-10 minutes. Place under cold water. Remove shell when cooled, separate the white from yolk and mash just the yolk part, well with a fork.
• In a food processorwhisk together flour, sugar, salt, corn starch and zest, then add cold butter and vanilla, pulse a few times to mix, add egg yolks and pulse until almost combined, move to a lightly floured flat surface and knead gently until combined. Wrap in plastic wrap or parchment paper and refrigerate for at least an hour or two or even overnight.
• Pre-heat oven to 335° (170° celsius).   Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• Remove dough from fridge, on a lightly floured flat surface, start with rolling out half the dough to 1 centimeter thickness and cut with a small to medium size flower cookie cutter, using a straw or any small round hole cutter**, cut a hole in the middle of the flower. Place cut out flowers on prepared cookie sheets and bake for approximately 12 -14 minutes, cookies should not brown. Let cookies rest 5 minutes then move to wire racks to cool,  then dust with powdered sugar. Enjoy!

**I used a small pastry tip.