Nannie Embrey's Pizzelles

Christmas wasn't Christmas without Nannie's pizzelles when we got together with the extended family.  When we were married almost 40 years ago, Nannie, my mother-in-law, gifted me with a new pizzelle iron and gave me her recipe which I've been making every year.  These pizzelles are super thin and fragile and I find that storing them stacked in a tin that is a little wider than they are is the best way to store them.

We were faced with a dilemma a few years ago when Gloria joined our family.  Gloria, a 30 year old Amazon parrot, caused me to have to rethink much of what I do in the kitchen because the fumes from non stick cookware can kill a parrot in short order.  The pizzelle iron had a nonstick coating.  What to do!  I thought that if it wasn't TOO cold, I could make them out on the deck but I really didn't want to be standing in 40 degree weather trying to do that.  A little research led me to the original Cucina Pro pizzelle iron which is made out of aluminum.  Problem solved.  Now pizzelle making may resume on schedule with the nonstick appliance being passed to my son. You will need to follow the instructions on your own pizzelle maker.  I find that  usually have to throw away the first two as they are the test ones!  I hope you enjoy these as much as we do!

Nannie Embrey’s Pizzelles

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

3 eggs, beaten

¾ cup sugar

¾ cup butter, melted

¾ - 1 cup flour

1 tsp. Baking powder

2 tsp. Anise extract

1 tsp. Vanilla 

Add and beat ingredients together in order listed--using the smaller 

amount of flour for thinner pizzelle.  Batter should be thick but flow 

from a spoon. Place about one tablespoon of batter in the center of 

both section of preheated pizzelle iron.  Close lid. Allow to cook 

until steaming stops -- about 30 - 60 seconds. Remove with fork.  

Allow to cool on wire rack or towels.  While hot, they may be rolled 

into a cylinder or shaped into cones.  Dust with confectioners’ sugar.  

Store in airtight container.  

Makes 2 dozen

Lemon variation:  Omit vanilla and anise extract.  

Add 1 teaspoon lemon extract and 1 tablespoon 

grated lemon peel to batter.

Note:   It will take a couple of tries to get the cooking time right.  My most recent batch took 40 seconds each time.  Also-- a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop makes easy work of scooping the batter onto the pizzelle baker.  With my Cuchina machine, you place the batter just a little toward the back of center.  Experiment to find what works with you. I place paper towels on a cooling rack and place the hot pizzelles there before stacking them in a tin.  Having your confectioners' sugar in a shaker or sifter gives a nice even coat.

Bailey's Irish Cream Cheese Cake

Need a dessert for St. Patrick's Day?  Here you go!  I got this recipe from our school nurse back in the 80's.  We used to beg her to make it for staff luncheons.

Baileys Irish Cream Cheese Cake

Printable Recpe

Ingredients:

8 ½ oz. package chocolate wafers

4 oz. Butter (1 stick)

24 oz. cream cheese at room temperature

¾  cup sugar

4 eggs at room temperature

½ cup Baileys Irish Cream

Cool Whip

Chocolate Shavings

Crush chocolate wafers between wax paper or in a food processor

and use a pastry cutter to blend in butter--the consistency should

hold together.  Use an 11 inch springform pan and spread crust on

bottom and slightly up the sides of the pan.  Chill.

Hand mix cream cheese, sugar, 1 egg and ½ cup Baileys.  

Add 3 more eggs one at a time while mixing.

Pour into pan and cook at 325 degrees for 45 minutes or until firm.

Cool and refrigerate.

Add Cool Whip on top and shavings fron any chocolate bar.  

You can use whipped cream instead of the Cool Whip, if desired.

Buttermilk Pound Cake

This is another recipe that comes from my early teaching years.  I can't remember exactly who gave this one to me but it came from one of several teaching assistants back in the early 1980's.  This is my basic pound cake recipe.  It's a good vanilla pound cake with a tender crumb due to the addition of the buttermilk.  Serve it plain or with fruit and ice cream.

Buttermilk Pound Cake

Printable recipe

1 cup butter

3 cups sugar

4 eggs

3 cups all purpose flour

¼ tsp. Baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

1 tsp. Vanilla

Cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs one at a time beating

well after each addition.  Combine flour and baking soda; add

alternately with buttermilk and beat well.  Stir in vanilla.

Pour into a greased and floured 10 inch fluted tube pan (bundt pan).

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until cake tests done.

Cool in pan for 15 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool.  
If desired, dust with confectioner’s sugar.

*Note:  If using a dark coated pan, decrease oven to 300 degrees

and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes.