Neapolitan mostaccioli covered with dark chocolate. One of the desserts that cannot be missing in my house at Christmas are the Chocolate Mostaccioli. A large almond cookie scented with the typical Holiday spices and covered with dark chocolate. My recipe is simple and guarantees success, even for the clumsiest in the kitchen, and you can prepare them in advance, as they will be even better. You can also just prepare the dough and let it rest in the fridge to prepare the cookies the next day, or you can bake the Almond Cookies and cover them with chocolate after 1-2 days, just store them in a container or a food bag. In short, you can’t help but prepare them too! With this recipe I assure you they come out very soft. I recommend not missing the recipe for Christmas Struffoli. If, like me, you love the scent of spices and chocolate, let’s run to the kitchen and prepare the Soft Mostaccioli together.
AND DON’T MISS THESE RECIPES TOO:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: For 22-24 Cookies
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Christmas
Ingredients for Neapolitan chocolate mostaccioli
- 3 1/2 oz almonds
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 1/2 tbsp honey
- 1/3 cup water (warm)
- 1 orange (unwaxed)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking ammonia
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 5 oz 70% dark chocolate
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
What you need to prepare chocolate and almond mostaccioli
- Baking Tray
- Mold for Mostaccioli
- Mixer
How to prepare soft chocolate mostaccioli
You can prepare the dough for Almond Mostaccioli either by hand or with the help of a mixer. Finely chop the almonds with a mixer. Thoroughly wash the orange. Grate the zest and set it aside, then squeeze it to extract the juice; you need about 1/4 cup of orange juice.
In a bowl, first mix the dry ingredients: chopped almonds, flour, a pinch of salt, sugar, unsweetened cocoa, baking ammonia, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Now add the liquid ingredients: orange juice and zest, honey, and warm water.
Mix well, initially with a fork or spatula, then with your hands. You should obtain a soft but not sticky dough. If necessary, add a bit more flour. Form a dough ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and let it rest in the fridge for an hour or more.
Take the dough and roll it out on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 1/3-1/2 inch. Use a square or diamond-shaped cookie cutter to cut the cookies. If you don’t have the mold, you can simply cut a diamond shape in a cardboard, place it on the dough, and cut the cookies with a knife.
Place the cookies slightly spaced apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake the Almond and Cocoa Cookies in a preheated oven at 356°F for about 16-18 minutes. Let them cool before transferring them to a plate or tray.
Place the Cookies side by side on a rack placed over a tray. Melt the dark chocolate into small pieces in a bain-marie, adding a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Pour the melted chocolate over the cookies with a spoon. Allow them to dry simply in the air.
See you tomorrow with a new recipe, a hug, Loredana
Loredana’s Tips
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The Mostaccioli remain soft in a container for many days
If you prefer, you can vary the amount of spices or add others such as cloves, star anise, or powdered ginger
You can also cover the Mostaccioli with milk chocolate or white chocolate, always choosing high-quality ones
Also read the recipe for my Chocolate and Orange Christmas Ring
