Steps for Christmas Hazelnut Cookie Pouches

• To make these cookie pouches, start with the shortcrust pastry. In the stand mixer bowl, add the sifted flour, a pinch of salt, vanilla essence, grated zest of one orange, and the butter cut into cubes. Mix using the paddle attachment at speed 2 for a few minutes to obtain a sandy mixture. Add the egg yolk (save the egg white for the filling) and the powdered sugar and mix for a few more minutes. Add the milk and continue mixing until obtaining a compact and homogeneous dough. Firmly compact the shortcrust pastry, wrap it in cling film, and place it in the fridge for about an hour.

  

• In a bowl, pour the egg white and a pinch of salt and whisk to stiff peaks with the electric whisk. Add the granulated sugar, the grated orange zest, and essence, and continue whisking. Finally, incorporate the hazelnuts and mix with a spatula to obtain a homogeneous mixture.

  

• Take the shortcrust pastry from the fridge, work it a bit with your hands and roll it out with a rolling pin to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Use a round cookie cutter to cut out disks of 2 inches in diameter. Place a teaspoon of filling in the center. Close the shortcrust disks by “pinching” them at three different points to create a pouch. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in a preheated static oven at 340°F for 10-15 minutes.

  

• Remove from the oven and let them cool. And here they are, the Christmas Hazelnut Cookie Pouches. I hope you enjoy my latest recipe. Until next time, friends.

  
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