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home » Sweets » Cookies

Shortbread cookies with a heart

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shortbread cookies

In Italy, these fluffy, lemon-scented shortbread cookies are a classic with coffee. I like to make them in advance so I always have some in a jar on the kitchen shelf in the cold season – for surprise visitors and for my family and I!

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The Italians and their traditions

We Italians love traditions. There are great common customs and those that can vary from village to village. Some of the oldest traditions are based on the liturgical calendar. And especially during Advent, there are a great number of them. Actually, shortbread cookies with jam hearts are also part of the pre-Christmas season – just like the famous zampognari from Campania that symbolise the shepherds from the Christmas story and who make the pilgrimage to the manger every year.

Weiche Butterplätzchen mit Herz - Weihnachten

The shepherds with the bagpipe

Von den Abruzzen bis nach Süditalien zogen die zampognari früher zu großen Festen und vor allem im Advent durch die Dörfer. Ihren Namen haben sie von der zampogna, einer Sackpfeife, dieFrom Abruzzo to southern Italy, the zampognari used to parade through the villages at great festivals and especially during Advent. They got their name from the zampogna, a bagpipe, which they knew how to play skilfully. In this way, the shepherds provided the background for the festivities or for contemplation – depending on the occasion – and received money and food in return. However, it was the children, who waited for the shepherds and went with them through the village, who got the fine cookies. To this day, the zampognari are a central part of the Neapolitan Christmas tradition.

shortbread cookies

Shortbread cookies with jam heart

these fluffy, lemon-scented shortbread cookies are a classic with coffee
5 from all votes. Click on stars to vote.
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Total Time 20 mins
Course cookies, sweets
Cuisine Italian, vegetarian
Servings 40 cookies
Calories 43 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 25 g butter
  • 125 g sugar
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 lemon zest, untreated
  • 250 g plain flour
  • 3 g baking powder
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 50 ml milk
  • jam

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat the oven to 180° C. Beat the butter (at room temperature), sugar, vanilla extract, lemon zest and salt vigorously with a mixer. This will make the dough much airier than a conventional shortcrust pastry. Mix the flour with baking powder and add to the sugar-butter mixture. Knead or mix until a homogeneous mass is formed. Now add the yolks to the milk and slowly mix into the dough.
  • Fill the mixture into a piping bag with a serrated nozzle and pipe small mounds onto a baking tray with baking paper. Place a small dollop of jam in the centre of each cookie. It is best to form a hollow with a mocha spoon or small teaspoon and fill this with the jam. Apricot, red currant or raspberry are perfect. Bake the cookies at approx. 180° C for 15 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 43 kcalCarbohydrates: 8 gProtein: 1 gFat: 1 gCholesterol: 11 mgSodium: 15 mgPotassium: 10 mgSugar: 3 gVitamin A: 31 IUCalcium: 8 mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @a.modo_mio !
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Buon appetito!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Anonymous

    November 04, 2021 at 4:41 pm

    5 stars
    Soft and delicious

    Reply

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