The classic Italian lace cookie gets a holiday twist in this recipe for eggnog florentines!
Yield: 3 dozen sandwich cookies
Ingredients
For the pecan florentines
6 tbsp (45 g) all purpose flour
½ cup (55 g) pecan halves
⅛ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp kosher salt
½ cup unsalted butter
⅔ cup (130 g) sugar
2 tbsp heavy cream
1 tbsp corn syrup
¼ tsp vanilla extract
For the eggnog filling
4 large eggs, hard-boiled
4 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
2½ cups (300 g) confectioner's sugar
1 tbsp whole milk
½ tsp vanilla extract
¼ heaping tsp ground nutmeg
⅛ tsp ground cloves
⅛ tsp kosher salt
Instructions
Heat oven to 350F.
In a food processor, pulse together the flour, pecans, cinnamon and salt, until the nuts are very finely chopped, about 1 minute. Pour the nut mixture into a large bowl.
In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, heavy cream, and corn syrup over high heat. Bring to a boil. Allow it to boil for one full minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir together until well-combined. Set aside to cool for at least 30 minutes.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a 1 tsp measure, scoop the dough into small balls and arrange them on the cookie sheets so that they are about 3 inches apart. Bake until the cookies are thin and golden brown, 8-9 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining cookie dough.
For the filling, peel the hard-boiled eggs and separate the yolks from the whites. Set aside the whites for another use. Press the egg yolks through a fine-meshed sieve so that they achieve a powdery texture. Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer along with the butter, confectioner's sugar, milk, vanilla, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Beat together until smooth. Raise the mixer speed to high and mix for 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
Spread a spoonful of eggnog filling onto the bottom of a cookie. Gently press a second on top of it. Repeat with the remaining cookies and filling.