Peach and Ricotta Cookies
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Recipe Intro From cynthiajordan
If you enjoy art as much as I do, these adorable painted peach cookies are famous in southern Italy. Each "peach" is hand painted with Maraschino liquor (Luxardo) and gently dyed into 3-4 colors. The center of each cookie gets scooped out to make room for the filling to sandwich each half together to give it its signature peach look. Once each cookie is painted, it gets tossed gently in granulated sugar to seal the color. To bring it all together, each cookie gets a spring of mint to make it even more realistic.
These sandwich cookies are stuffed with a peach ricotta filling; some variations are filled with pastry cream, depending on your preference. The cookie is dry and dense, so it can hold the filling and absorb its moisture. Once rested overnight (a must), the texture is soft and cakey bursting with citrus flavor.
I used these cookies to decorate this Peach Ricotta Cake with Orgeat Buttercream.
- Recipe Card
Recipe Card
Ricotta Filling:
ingredients
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- Pinch of kosher salt.
- 2 small ripe peaches, peeled and cubed into small pieces
- 2 cups well drained whole milk ricotta cheese
Cookies:
ingredients
- 4 cups cake flour, sifted
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup whole milk, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled,
- Maraschino liquor (such as Luxardo), for decorating
- Red, orange, and yellow gel food coloring, for decorating
- 1 cup sugar, for rolling
- Fresh mint springs, for garnishing
- Peach Ricotta Cake with Orgeat Buttercream, optional, for decorating
To make the ricotta filling:
Method
Step 1
In a small bowl, rub together the sugar, vanilla bean paste, zests, and salt.
Step 2
Stir in chopped peaches and let macerate for 5 minutes.
Step 3
Whisk in ricotta until smooth. Transfer to a container and store in teh refrigerator overnight to let flavors meld.
To make the cookie the dough:
Step 1
Prep a quarter size sheet tray with parchment paper.
Step 2
In a small bowl whisk together cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Step 3
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine sugar, orange zest, lemon juice, and vanilla. Mix on low speed until incorporated.
Step 4
Add the eggs, milk, and melted butter to mixer. Turn mixer to medium speed until combined.
Step 5
Turn mixer to low and stream in flour mixture. Once combined, turn mixer speed to medium. Mix until a smooth thick dough forms, about 2 minutes.
Step 6
Remove dough from mixer. Depending on the size of the cookies, roll dough into 1 tablespoon size balls for larger cookies, and 1 ½ teaspoon sized balls for smaller cookies.
Step 7
Roll between palms until the outside is smooth and shiny.
Step 8
Place on prepped cookie sheet and gently press down on top to flated slightly. Repeat with remaining dough.
Step 9
Wrap sheet tightly in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight.
Step 10
Pre heat oven to 350F.
Step 11
Working in batches. Place cookies 4x6 on tray for larger cookies, or 5x8 for smaller cookies.
Step 12
Place in oven. Rotate tray after 5 minutes, bake another 5.
Step 13
Remove from oven and let cool completely.
To assemble cookies:
Step 1
Place ricotta filling in a piping bag. Cut a small opening to allow filling to flow through. Set aside.
Step 2
Using a small pairing knife, cut out about 1 teaspoon out of centers (½ teaspoon for smaller cookies).
Step 3
Before filling, match up halves that fit together best to make even size cookies.
Step 4
Place cut side up on a piece of parchment paper lining them all up. Fill each cavity with ricotta just to a little over opening.
Step 5
Press each matching half together to form the peach shape. Note: The ricotta should not spread out from the sides, only slightly to help adhere cookies together.
Step 6
Divide about 1 to to 2 tablespoons of maraschino liquor into 3 small dishes. Place a drop of gel coloring into each dish and swirl to combine.
Step 7
Place rolling sugar into a small bowl, so it’s a heaping mound.
Step 8
Using a small rounded tipped paint brush, paint colors onto cookies to resemble the color of the skin on peaches.
Step 9
Drop cookies into sugar. Using your hands scoop sugar around cookie, then tossing to coat.
Step 10
Place into the refrigerator overnight. Note: This gives the cookies time to absorb any moisture in the filling.
Step 11
Before serving, place a few mint leaves into top the of each cookie.