What are Baci di Alassio?

These are small tasty chocolate cookies that are kissed together with a chocolate filling. They originated from the seaside town of Alassio in Liguria and are sold everywhere. 'Kisses from Alassio' make a lovely tea/coffee time treat and perfect to give as gifts.

What about making them at home?

This recipe makes about 25 baci

What you need...

250 g - Hazelnut meal/flour
230 g - Sugar
1 tablespoon -  Honey
35 g - Dark cocoa powder
2 Egg whites

150 g - Dark chocolate
100 g - Whipping cream

What to do...

Mix together the hazelnut meal, sugar, honey, cocoa and egg white in a mixer and blend until well combined. If doing it by hand whip the egg whites until stiff and fold well into the other ingredients.

Put the mixture into a piping bag and pipe using a star nozzle or similar onto a baking tray lined with baking paper, about the size of a €2 piece or a £2 coin and not too close together. Leave to rest for a few hours at room temperature and then bake in a preheated oven at 190°C or 375ºF for about 6-7 minutes.

Once baked, leave to cool completely before moving them from the tray.

Chocolate ganache...

Bring the cream almost to boiling point. Pour the cream onto the dark chocolate which you have chopped up into pieces beorehand. Leave to settle for about 5 - 10 minutes before mixing well using a spoon. Then whip with an electric hand mixer fora further 5 minutes.

Let's kiss...

Take 2 of the baci which should be well cooled by now and pipe the chocolate ganache mix onto one half of the baci, and then top with the other one so they are sandwiched together.

When all the baci are made place in the fridge for about 30 minutes and then serve, eat and enjoy! Con bacione!