Baci di Dama means "Lady's Kisses" because they look a bit like a pair of puckered lips ripe for kissing.. They come from the Piemonte town of Tortona and use hazelnuts from Piemonte which are said to be the best in the world. They are also often made with almonds and are easy to make.- 150g of ground almonds or hazelnuts
- 150g type 0 flour ( or plain flour)
- 150g caster sugar
- 150g butter
- 50g dark chocolate, melted with 5g butter.
Add the butter and the flour and wizz again just enough to mix.
Tip the mixture on to a work surface and knead for about 2 minutes.
Place in fridge for at least 2 hours but better overnight.
The dough will be hard when you take it out of the fridge so soften it by breaking off small pieces at a time and squash them with the heels of your hands until you have softened all of the dough but it is still cold.
Use the rolling pin to roll the dough evenly 1cm thick.Use the smallest pastry cutter, 2cm, and cut out little buttons.Roll the buttons with your hands until they form little balls.If the mixture crumbles and falls apart, be patient! You have to squish the little balls as you roll them. They become lighter in colour and roll easier. This is the trick to getting the best consistency.Place the balls on oven paper lined trays, don't squash them.
Cook at 180°c (or 160° fanforced) for about 11 mins.They should be slightly browned. Allow to cool.
Melt the chocolate and the butter together in a small bowl over a small pot of water. Pipe or spoon small amount of chocolate in the centre of half of the biscuits and kiss them together with their other half.
Good Baci di Dama don't have chocolate oozing out the sides, but have just enough to stick the two parts together. They shouldn't be completely cracked...a few cracks are ok but they shouldn't be crumbly.
They may seem tiny when you are rolling them but don't be tempted to make them bigger. By the time they are cooked and stuck together the are big enough..Enjoy!!
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