Pistachio Persuaders
Dressed in winter white, these cookies are a beautiful addition to any holiday cookie tin. They’re the invention of pastry chef and television personality Darren Purchese, owner of Burch & Purchese Sweet Studio in Melbourne, a retail store that produces stunning cakes and desserts. In this recipe, he teams up white chocolate and mint to create a simple coating for roll-and-slice pistachio cookies. He likes to use pistachio paste for even more pistachio flavor, though it can difficult to find, so you can substitute almond paste, or omit it entirely. The cookies will still be delicious.
Ingredients
- 12 Tbs. (1 1/2 sticks) (6 oz./190 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 Tbs. superfine sugar
- 1/3 cup (2 1/2 oz./75 g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 Tbs. sweetened pistachio paste or almond paste (optional)
- 1 1/4 cups (6 1/2 oz./200 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 4 tsp. baking powder
- 3/4 cup (3 1/2 oz./105 g) pistachios, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup (1 oz./25 g) ground almonds
- 3 Tbs. milk
- Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- 9 1/2 oz. (300 g) white chocolate
- 1/2 tsp. mint extract or 1 drop mint essential oil
Directions
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat together the butter, superfine sugar, brown sugar and almond paste on medium speed until smooth and there are no lumps of butter, about 3 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
In a small bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat on low speed until incorporated, about 1 minute. Add the pistachios, ground almonds, milk and lemon zest and beat until blended, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure the ingredients are evenly mixed and there are no lumps remaining.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and bring it together with your hands. Roll the dough into a log and divide into 2 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a log 1 1/2 to 2 inches (4 to 5 cm) in diameter. Wrap the logs separately in plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least 45 minutes.
Preheat an oven to 350°F (180°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Remove the dough from the freezer and unwrap it. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough crosswise into 3/8-inch (1-cm) slices. Place on the prepared baking sheet, spacing the cookies about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
Bake until the cookies are just beginning to brown on the edges, 12 to 14 minutes. Immediately transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let cool completely.
In a shallow bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, melt the white chocolate, stirring occasionally, just until the mixture is melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the mint extract. Stir the mixture until it cools to about 85°F (30°C), using a candy thermometer to check the temperature.
Line a baking sheet with clean parchment paper. Using a fork or a palette knife, dip each cookie in the white mint chocolate to coat completely and gently shake to remove any excess chocolate, then place on the prepared baking sheet. Let stand at room temperature until the chocolate has set. Makes 40 to 45 cookies.
Recipe by Darren Purchese, creator of the blog Burch & Purchese