SWEET LADY KISSES simple recipe
The LADY KISSES, though they need no introduction, are two small hazelnut-scented half-spheres enclosing a filling of dark chocolate.
In our house, we’re all crazy about them, so more than once, I’ve ended up buying them around, but I wasn’t always satisfied: the only unparalleled pastry shop was in Chiavari, in eastern Liguria, but I speak in the past tense because unfortunately it has closed…
So I thought about trying my hand at this sweet treat and was amazed at how easy it was, contrary to what one might think. I assure you that preparing a tart is much more laborious.
Of course, I had to make a variation on the theme and filled them as a true Nutella addict with hazelnut cream instead of dark chocolate (if you want, you can also try the ooriginal recipe for LADY KISSES).
To prepare the LADY KISSES the recipe is simple: after mixing the ingredients, wait a short resting time for the dough, form the half-spheres, another “little rest,” and straight into the oven for just 15 minutes.
Filling them will then be a piece of cake, or at least, for me, a fun activity.
If I had to choose my favorite between the Original Piedmontese Lady Kisses Recipe, the Pistachio Lady Kisses, the Nutella Lady Kisses with hazelnut flour shells, and today’s version with original dough and Nutella filling… well, I would have no doubts in answering: all four!
Honestly, I find it impossible to decide because each, in its own way, is super delicious and irresistible, so I leave it to you to decide which is the best once you’ve tried them.
Those who follow me might think I’ve become fixated; I’ve published four Lady Kisses recipes. In reality, only one is the ORIGINAL LADY KISSES RECIPE, and the others are variations on the more famous and ancient Piedmontese recipe with almond flour shells and a dark chocolate filling.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 454.89 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 39.45 (g) of which sugars 22.90 (g)
- Proteins 6.56 (g)
- Fat 30.08 (g) of which saturated 13.09 (g)of which unsaturated 4.94 (g)
- Fibers 3.89 (g)
- Sodium 178.07 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 70 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 1/4 cups almond flour (or hazelnut flour)
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 pinch salt
- vanilla extract (1 teaspoon)
- 1/2 cup Nutella® (or dark chocolate)
Tools
- Mixer
- Baking Dish
METHOD
To speed up the preparation, I recommend buying ALMOND FLOUR that you can find ready-made at the supermarket or alternatively, if you prefer, hazelnut flour.
Place the all-purpose flour and cold butter cut into pieces in a bowl or mixer, and activate the blades until you get a sandy mixture. Add the remaining ingredients: almond flour (or hazelnuts), sugar, vanilla, and salt. Knead or activate the mixer again to mix all the ingredients well. Transfer the mixture to a working surface, form a dough ball, wrap it in cling film, and let it rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
After the resting time, take the dough and divide it into portions of 1/4 to 1/3 ounce each, from which you will create little balls using your fingers. As you shape the balls, place them slightly apart on a baking tray covered with parchment paper, and let them rest again in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Once the time has passed, you’re ready to bake your lady kisses bases in a preheated static oven at 350°F for 15/17 minutes. The time depends on both the type of oven and the size of the balls. They should turn slightly golden but not too much, transforming from balls into half-spheres. Check them after 15 minutes. When they’re done, take them out of the oven and let them cool before removing them from the tray, as this will help them firm up and not break when picked up. It’s normal for them to be soft and crumbly while still warm.
Since they are handmade, it’s almost impossible for the bases to be all identical, so before filling them, try to pair the most similar ones in shape and size. Using a teaspoon, spread a teaspoon of Nutella on one of the two spheres, creating a small mound in the center without overdoing it; otherwise, the filling will spill out when closed. Close the lady kiss with another half-sphere, being careful not to press too hard. Continue until you’ve used all the ingredients. Arrange your sweet LADY KISSES on a serving plate and serve them perhaps with a nice cup of tea.
NOTES
ALMONDS: You can use either almond flour or whole blanched almonds. Not finding almond flour, I created it by putting blanched almonds in the mixer with half the sugar dose in the recipe. It took just a few seconds of blade action to obtain almond flour. If you prefer, you can replace the almonds with an equal amount of HAZELNUTS or hazelnut flour.
FILLING: In today’s recipe, for convenience (I had an open jar of Nutella at home) and speed of execution (I didn’t feel like melting chocolate), I filled the half-spheres with Nutella. If you prefer the classic dark chocolate filling, use 75% dark chocolate and melt it in a double boiler or microwave. Alternatively, you can fill the sweet Lady Kisses with pistachio cream.
STORAGE
Once ready, LADY KISSES can be stored in an airtight cookie tin for up to a week. For convenience, I keep the half-spheres in a cookie tin and only fill and pair them as needed.
LADY KISSES ORIGIN AND CURIOSITIES
Lady kisses are cookies originating from Piedmont, particularly from the city of Tortona, where they were born a century ago. They are named so because they consist of two dough caps joined by chocolate, reminiscent of two lips about to kiss. Behind every pastry masterpiece lies a legend, and that of the Kisses takes us back to the royal house of the Savoy family in 1852, where a cook busy in the kitchen, decided to impress King Victor Emmanuel II by preparing a dessert with a new flavor. By mixing ingredients and blending some imaginative ideas, LADY KISSES were born.
LADY KISSES VARIANTS
Although initially hazelnuts were used, the original Piedmontese lady kisses recipe calls for almonds, as in today’s recipe. But in the kitchen, tradition lends itself to countless interpretations, and lady kisses are no exception. Here are some ideas: HAZELNUT LADY KISSES (recipe HERE), with a base made of blanched hazelnuts and for the filling, hazelnut cream or gianduja chocolate. PISTACHIO LADY KISSES (recipe HERE) with a slightly bright green color, prepared with a very fine pistachio grind, with the classic dark chocolate filling or with a white chocolate or pistachio cream. Then there are the BICOLORED LADY KISSES with one half-sphere white and the other chocolate, super delicious (recipe HERE). Some, like Master Pastry Chef Luca Montersino, have even turned it into a cake, the LADY KISSES CAKE (recipe HERE)!
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
How to melt chocolate in a DOUBLE BOILER
If you decide to melt the chocolate in a double boiler, fill a larger pot with two or three inches of water, and put it on the stove until it boils. Lower the flame and place a smaller diameter pot inside. Put the finely chopped chocolate inside the smaller pot and let it melt completely while continuing to stir. It should become fluid and without lumps.
How to melt chocolate in the MICROWAVE
If you want to shorten the time, the solution is to melt the chocolate in the microwave. To do this, place the finely chopped chocolate in a bowl, position it in the microwave, and set it to medium power. Turn it on for 15 seconds, then remove the bowl and stir the chocolate. Put it back in the microwave and turn it on again for another 15 seconds. Keep going, repeating the steps until you get a liquid, smooth cream without lumps. The reason for making so many stops is to avoid burning the chocolate.
