Nutella Filled Baci Cookies from Piedmont

 By: The Food Hunter

Baci di Dama, otherwise knows as Ladies Kisses, are cookies that you find in pasticcerias all over the region of Piedmont in Northern Italy. They are typically made with hazelnut flour and filled with your favorite flavors. I chose to use Nutella for the sweet treat below.

The Piedmont region of Italy is also widely known for its Barolo. A traditional Italian meal in Piedmont would therefore feature some sort of hearty meat dish served with the 2016 Pio Cesare Barolo DOCG followed by these delicious cookies.

 

 

  Nutella Filled Baci Cookies from Piedmont

1 cup Bob's Red Mill hazelnut flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 Tbs hazelnut liquor (optional)
2 egg whites
Nutella

Preheat oven to 325.  Line baking pans with parchment paper.

Beat egg whites until stiff. Add hazelnut liquor if using.

Mix sugar with hazelnut flour. Fold egg whites into hazelnut flour/sugar mixture.

Using wet hands roll dough into small balls and place on prepared pan.  Press down slightly on the top.

Bake 20 minutes or until firm and golden on the outside. Remove from pan and allow to cool on wire rack. Serve as is or spread Nutella on bottom of one cookie and top with another cookie.