Peaches And Cream Cookies (Pesche Con Crema)

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

Pastry cream

• 2 cups (240 ml) whole milk
• 4 long strips of lemon peel
• 5 egg yolks
• ¼ cup (60 ml) sugar
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) flour
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) butter
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) Italian peach liqueur (or substitute with any peach liqueur)

Cookies

• 1 cup (240 ml) sugar
• ½ cup (120 ml) melted butter
• ½ cup (120 ml) milk
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
• 4 eggs, whisked
• 4 cups (950 ml) flour
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) baking powder

Glaze and finish

• 2 cups (470 ml) sugar
• 2 cups (470 ml) water
• 1 cup (240 ml) caster sugar
• Fresh mint leaves
• Whole cloves

Method:

For the pastry cream, combine whole milk and lemon zest in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a low simmer. Remove from heat.

In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks then add the sugar and flour and whisk together.

Steady the bowl then whisk vigorously while slowly drizzling in about half of the heated milk. This is called tempering.

Whisk this tempered mixture into the remaining milk in the saucepan and return to medium heat.

Whisk continuously until cream thickens and starts to bubble.

Remove the thickened mixture (pastry cream) from the heat and whisk in the butter and peach liqueur.

Transfer warm pastry cream to a bowl and press plastic wrap down directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming.

Refrigerate until cool (at least 2 hours).

For the cookies, preheat oven to 350 F (175 C).

In a bowl, combine sugar, melted butter, milk, and vanilla extract and mix to combine.

Add eggs and stir to combine.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour and baking powder.

Gradually add dry ingredients to wet, mixing until dough is smooth.

Form dough into round, walnut-sized balls and place on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until bottom is slightly toasted.

Transfer cookies to cooling rack and set aside to cool for 10-15 minutes.

Using a spoon, scoop out part of the middle of the flat-bottomed side of each cookie to make space for the pastry cream.

Using a pastry bag or a spoon, add about 1-2 teaspoons (5-10 ml) of filling to the hollowed-out part of each cookie.

Press two cookies together (flat sides meeting) to create peach shape.

For the glaze, heat white sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat 8-10 minutes, until slightly thickened but still clear.

To finish, using a pastry brush, brush glaze over entire cookie, coating it completely.

While the cookies are still wet with syrup, roll gently in castor sugar.

Garnish with a clove to resemble a stem, and with fresh mint leaves to resemble leaves; Refrigerate cookies to set and chill before serving.

Buon appetito!