Description
Italian Peach Cookies are delightful soft cookies made with a tender dough, filled with rich Italian pastry cream, dipped in vibrant Alkermes liqueur, and rolled in sugar. These cookies are assembled by joining two halves, creating a peach-like appearance, and chilled to perfection for a soft, flavorful treat that beautifully balances sweetness and creamy filling.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup (200 grams) castor sugar
- ½ cup (115 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups (500 grams) all purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- pinch salt
- ⅓ cup (80ml) milk
Filling and Coating
- 1 cup Italian Pastry Cream
- ½ cup (120ml) Alkermes liqueur
- ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare trays: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and line three large baking trays with non-stick baking paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Beat eggs and sugar: Using an electric mixer or a handheld whisk, beat the eggs and castor sugar together until the mixture becomes pale and thick, approximately 10 minutes, to incorporate air and create a light texture.
- Add butter, lemon zest, and vanilla: Whisk in the cooled, melted butter, lemon zest, and vanilla extract into the egg mixture until it’s thick and creamy, enhancing flavor and richness.
- Incorporate dry ingredients and milk: Sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt, then gently fold these dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Finally, stir in the milk to create a smooth, workable dough.
- Shape dough balls: Take small portions of dough weighing about ¾ oz (20g), rolling each into a ball roughly 1½ inches (3.5 cm) across — the size of a little walnut. Use a cookie scoop for uniformity to make about 52 dough balls, placing them spaced apart on the prepared trays.
- Bake the cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. The cookies should remain pale and soft rather than browned. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool slightly.
- Create filling indentations: While the cookies are still warm, carefully use a small knife or teaspoon to make a small hole in the bottom of each cookie to hold the pastry cream filling.
- Fill and join cookies: Spoon the Italian pastry cream into each indentation, then press together two halves to form a filled cookie resembling a peach.
- Dip in Alkermes liqueur: Pour the Alkermes liqueur into a small bowl and gently dip each assembled cookie, turning it to coat all sides without over-soaking, to impart vibrant color and flavor.
- Drain and coat with sugar: Place the dipped cookies on a wire rack to drain excess liqueur, then roll them in granulated sugar to add sweetness and texture.
- Chill before serving: Arrange the cookies in cupcake cases and refrigerate for at least 12 hours. This resting time allows the cookies to soften beautifully and the flavors to meld, enhancing the overall eating experience.
Notes
- Alkermes liqueur can be substituted with other red liqueurs such as cherry or strawberry liqueur for a different flavor profile.
- Using a cookie scoop helps ensure even-sized cookies, important for uniform baking and assembly.
- The cookies are meant to be soft and pale after baking, do not overbake to maintain their delicate texture.
- Chilling the assembled cookies is essential for softening and melding flavors; do not skip this step.
- If Italian Pastry Cream is unavailable, you can prepare homemade pastry cream or use a custard-like filling as an alternative.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: Italian Peach Cookies, Peach Cookies, Italian Dessert, Alkermes Cookies, Pastry Cream Cookies, Soft Cookies, Traditional Italian Sweets
