Vanilla Pizzelles with Variations

Pizzelles are wafer-like cookies that can be made flat or rolled into a cone-shape cookie. However, making pizzelles requires one piece of special equipment—a pizzelle iron—found at most cookware stores.

Recipe Ingredients:

3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 pound unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat pizzelle iron as directed by the manufacturer. (This is often as simple as plugging it in and letting it heat for 15 to 20 minutes.)
2. In an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar. Add extract and melted butter. On low speed, gradually add flour and baking powder to make a sticky dough.
3. Drop dough from a teaspoon onto the hot iron. If the iron you are using allows you to bake 2 pizzelles at once, drop a teaspoonful into the center of each pattern outline.
4. Close the cover of pizzelle iron and bake for 30 to 45 seconds, or until nicely browned.
5. Using two forks, remove the hot wafer from the iron and place the pizzelle flat on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Be sure to lay the hot pizzelles in a single layer on the cookie sheet. When they are completely cool, you can stack them. Dust with confectioner's sugar.

Makes about 30 pizzelles. Recipe can be doubled.

Tip: On hot, humid summer days you'll find the pizzelles have a softer texture instead of the usual crunch. To recrisp, warm baked cookies in a moderate oven (about 300°F | 150°C) for about 5 to 10 minutes.

Variations:

• Chocolate: add 1/2 cup cocoa to the dough along with the flour.
  
• Lemon: substitute 2 teaspoons lemon extract for the vanilla. Add 2 tablespoons lemon zest (grated rind from 2 large lemons).
  
• Almond: Replace vanilla with 2 teaspoons almond extract. Reduce the amount of flour to 1 3/4 cups. Add 1/2 cup finely ground almonds.