Traditional Tuscan Cookies: Befanini - Real Italian Kitchen

Befanini are a traditional cookie that we usually make around Christmas time, they get their name from the holiday of Befana, which is celebrated in Italy on January 6th.

The recipe is very simple but the cookie is extremely tasty and rich in many layers of flavors: you'll be able to taste the milk, the lemon zest, and the sugar sprinkles make them fun to look at!

Ingredients for a large batch (about 80 cookies)

500gr flour (5 cups plus more for rolling pin)

300gr sugar (3 cups)

150gr butter (10tbsp)

16gr baking powder (2 tsp)

pinch of salt

3 eggs + 1 egg

1/2 cup milk

lemon zest

sugar sprinkles

Utensils:

Baking sheet, rolling pin, cookie molds

Step by Step:

1. Put all the dry ingredients in one bowl, whisk well. If you're using a Kitchen Aid or similar robot, you may also already add the butter and the 3 eggs.

2. If you haven't done so already, add the butter and the 3 whole eggs.

3. Zest a lemon, add the zest to the dough along with the 1/2 cup of milk.

4. Cover the dough with cellophane and let it rest in the fridge for 2 hours (yes, baking takes patience and time, get over it)

5. Cover your work station with flour, if you love baking I suggest investing in a silicone mat like the one I use in the video. Split the dough in half and with a well floured rolling pin lay it down to 4 mm (if you don't know what a millimiter is go look it up on google and get with the metric system for God's sake).

6. Flour your cookie molds and make all those fun shapes that are traditional around Christmas time: stars, bells, befani...

7. Beat 1 egg in a small bowl and with a brush gloss the top of the cookies with the egg wash.

8. Decorate with sprinkles :-) Best part of the recipe!

9. Bake at 180 C (350F) for 8-10 minutes

10. Share your cookies with your friends and family, cause good things are meant to be shared. I hope you enjoy them!