Baci di dama

MAKES ABOUT 25 // PREP TIME 20 MINS (PLUS CHILLING, COOLING) // COOK 20 MINS

Piedmont goes hand-in-hand with chocolate and hazelnut – it’s the birthplace of Nutella, after all. These little biscuits, also known as ladies’ kisses, combine both with just the right amount of crunch.

60 gm butter

50 gm caster sugar

50 gm brown sugar

1/2 beaten egg

125 gm plain flour

60 gm hazelnut meal (see note)

1/2 tsp baking powder

NUTELLA FILLING

100 gm dark chocolate (60% cocoa solids), finely chopped Finely grated rind of 1/2 orange

80 gm double cream

70 gm Nutella

1 Beat butter and sugar in an electric mixer until pale and creamy (5 minutes). Add egg and continue to mix until smooth, then add the flour, hazelnut meal and baking powder and stir until just combined. Roll teaspoons of dough into balls and arrange on two oven trays lined with baking paper, leaving about 6cm space between each ball. Refrigerate until chilled and firm (1 hour).

2 Preheat oven to 1800C. Bake biscuits, a tray at a time, until just golden (10-12 minutes), then cool. Repeat with second tray.

3 For Nutella filling, place all ingredients in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (don't let bowl touch water), and stir occasionally until smooth (5 minutes). Transfer to refrigerator and stir occasionally until firm (1 hour).

4 Spread a teaspoon of Nutella filling onto the flat side of half the biscuits, then sandwich with remaining biscuits. Baci will keep in refrigerator in an airtight container for about 5 days. Bring to room temperature to serve. Note Making hazelnut meal fresh from roasted hazelnuts yields the best flavour.