Baci di Dama// Italian cookies

Baci di Dama, or Ladies Kisses are some of my favorite Italian cookies. I like the fact that are not too sweet, and instead of almonds you can use hazelnuts. So good with a a cup of espresso macchiato. 

Ingredients:

-10 tbsp butter

-1/2 cup confectionars' sugar

- 1 egg yolk

- 1/2 tsp almond extract

- 1 cup ground almonds

- 1 1/2 cup flour

- 2 ounces chocolate (I used dark chocolate)

Makes 20 cookies

1. Cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy then beat in the egg yolk, almond extract, ground almonds and flour until evenly mixed. Chill until firm, about 2 hours.

2. Preheat the oven at 325. Line 3-4 baking sheets with parchment paper.

3. Break off small pieces of dough (total 40) and roll into balls with your hands. Place the balls on the baking sheets, spacing them out, as they will spread in the oven.

4. Bake the cookies for 20 minutes or until golden. remove the baking sheets from the oven, lift off the paper with the cookies on, then place on wire racks. Let the cookies cool on the paper. Repeat with the remaining mixture.

5. When the cookies are cold. lift them off the paper. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of hot water. sandwich the cookies in pairs, with the melted chocolate. Let cool and se before serving.

Hello

Hello, I am Mary and this is my virtual place where I'll show you some photos of pretty foods and yummy recipes. Over time I have learned that the best food I have ever had was homemade food, always with a touch of love. I know it sounds corky, but this is what my mom once told me.  Here you'll find recipes from different books, from my mom's, grandma's and sisters' kitchen, or simply made by me. I always like to experiment and try new things. You wonder where my blog title comes from. I love photography and since I've started to photograph food I saw another side of it. Food is art indeed. The colors, the textures, the perfumes, the way we cook it and present it. Let's admit that everything in life evolves around food. Food always brings people together.

When I'm not in the kitchen or with my family I love to photograph people. I am a wedding and portrait photographer based in Washington DC, you can see some of my work on my other website here.

 Thanks for stopping by and drop me a line anytime!
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Cheers and don't forget to have something sweet every day!

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New season, new change

A new season brings a new change. This will be a place that will showcase my love for food photography, to include some of my favorite recipes.
My wedding and portrait photography blog has a new home, to make sure you keep up with the latest please check out www.marysandovalphotography.com.

Cheers, Mary