Photo by Gina DePalma, Pastry Chef

Mostaccioli
By Gina DePalma

When I was writing my first book, Dolce Italiano, Desserts from the Babbo Kitchen, these cookies gave me a bit of a headache. Mostaccioli are a common treat throughout the south of Italy, but as in so many other examples of Italian cooking, they can vary wildly, forming specific regional, provincial or even town-specific versions. I knew which ingredients were key - cocoa, grape must, citrus, a bit of spice - but my research revealed staggering differences in the other ingredients. The shape and appearance of the finished cookies morphed and changed as I dug deeper. Which version was the truest?

At some point the confusion had to end, and I knew the task at hand. I needed to find a version I could truly cherish and pass on to others. I think of the recipe below as totally authentic; that is to say, it is all my own, borrowing what is best from generations of bakers before me. Is there one, true version of mostaccioli out there? The answer is a resounding yes, and it is the one that you will make in your own kitchen and pass on.

In the meantime, give these a try. They are the perfect autumnal cookie, echoing the flavors of the vendemmia, or grape harvest. Spiked with cloves and cinnamon, moist with the richness of melted chocolate and the sweetness of honey, these are treats with deep flavor and interesting texture from the almonds and candied fruit.I think the icing is quite elegant, and worthy of your prettiest china.

 Mostaccioli

Adapted from Dolce Italiano, Desserts from the Babbo Kitchen by Gina DePalma

For the Cookies:
1 heaping cup whole, blanched almonds
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
½ cup (1 stick, 4 oz.) unsalted butter
2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1½ cups cake flour
1½ cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup unsweetened, Dutch-processed cocoa powder
½ cup honey
½ cup whole milk
4 large eggs
½ cup vincotto
¾ cup finely chopped candied citron, candied orange peel, or dried currants

For the Icing:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons whole milk
½ teaspoon pure almond extract

To make the cookies, preheat the oven to 350 °F. Spread the almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet, and toast them until they are light golden brown and fragrant, about 14 to 16 minutes. Remove the almonds from the oven and turn it off the oven until you are ready to form the cookies. Allow the almonds to cool completely, then chop them into medium-sized pieces with a sharp knife.

Melt the chocolate and butter together in a medium bowl set over a pan of simmering water, whisking to combine them. Set the mixture aside in a warm spot. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, place the all-purpose flour, cake flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, spices and cocoa powder and beat on low speed for 10 seconds to mix the dry ingredients together thoroughly.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the honey, milk, eggs and vincotto. Add the wet ingredients to the mixer and beat on medium speed until the two mixtures are thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Add the melted chocolate and butter mixture and beat well on low speed. Add the almonds and the candied fruit to the bowl and beat just to incorporate them into the dough. Remove the bowl from the mixer, cover it with plastic wrap and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 325 °F. Lightly grease two baking sheets with non-stick cooking spray or butter or line them with parchment. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. To shape each cookie, roll a heaping teaspoonful of the dough with floured fingers into a ball and place it on the baking sheet, flattening it slightly with your fingers. Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the cookies ½-inch apart. Bake the cookies for 13 to 15 minutes, or until they are puffed and cracking, rotating the pan 180° halfway through the baking time to ensure even baking. Allow the cookies to cool for 1 or 2 minutes on the baking sheets, then use a spatula to gently transfer them onto a rack to cool completely.

While the cookies are cooling, make the icing. In a medium bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar with the milk and whisk until the mixture is smooth and lump free. Whisk in the almond extract. Keep the icing covered with plastic wrap until you are ready to use it.

To decorate the cookies, drizzle a small amount of icing in a zig zag pattern over the top of each cookie, or, glaze the top of the cookie with a pastry brush. The cookies may be stored in airtight container between sheets of parchment paper, for up to one week

Make about 3 dozen cookies

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