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1. BLUE ORCHID says:

   January 24, 2009 at 9:35 pm

   Mario Batali’s Pizzelle Varieties

   1 cup butter, softened
   1/4 cup vegetable oil
   4 eggs
   11/2 cups sugar
   1 teaspoon vanilla
   1 bottle anise oil or 2 teaspoons pure anise extract
   33/4 cups flour
   1/4 teaspoon baking soda
   1 teaspoon baking powder

   Combine first six ingredients. Add flour, baking soda and baking powder.

   Heat pizzelle iron. Place about 1 tablespoon of batter on each section of the pizzelle iron.

   Cook pizzelles for about 30 to 35 seconds, or until golden. Makes approximately 6 dozen pizzelles, depending on size of iron.
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   Pizzelles II

   6 eggs
   11/2 cups sugar
   1 cup melted margarine, cooled
   1 tablespoon anise extract or vanilla
   3 1/2 cups cake flour
   4 teaspoons baking powder

   Beat eggs, add sugar gradually — beat until smooth. Add cooled margarine and anise or vanilla. Add flour and baking powder — beat until smooth. By teaspoons, place batter on pizzelle iron. Cook for about 40 seconds or until golden in color.
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   Pizzelles III

   1 1/2 cups butter, softened
   1 cup margarine, softened
   2/3 cup granulated sugar
   1 pound light brown sugar
   6 eggs, separated
   2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon whiskey, rum and vanilla
   9 to 10 cups flour

   Cream butter and margarine well. Add half of the granulated sugar and all of the brown sugar; mix well. Add whiskey, rum and vanilla. Add egg yolks, then flour; mix. Beat egg whites with remaining sugar until soft peaks form.

   With a wooden spoon, blend beaten whites into dough. Roll into 1-inch balls. Place on pizzelle iron. Bake until done.
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   Pizzelles IV

   1 cup sugar
   1 cup butter, softened
   6 eggs
   11/2 teaspoons anise oil
   Zest of 1 lemon
   Zest of 1 orange
   3 cups flour
   3 teaspoons baking powder

   Cream together the sugar and butter. Add the eggs one at a time — mix. Add the anise and zests; mix. Add the flour and baking powder. Beat batter well. Drop 1/2 teaspoon of batter on pizzelle iron. Bake until golden.
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   Pizzelles V

   6 large eggs
   1 cup margarine, melted
   11/2 cups sugar
   Pinch salt
   1 shot whiskey
   1 teaspoon anise oil
   2 teaspoons vanilla
   31/2 cups flour

   Beat eggs; add melted margarine and beat again. Add sugar, salt, whiskey, anise and vanilla; beat until well mixed. Add flour gradually, mixing well (usually the last cup of flour has to be mixed with a spoon). Drop by teaspoon on hot iron. Bake until done or golden.
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   Pizzelles VI

   6 eggs
   11/2 cups sugar
   1 cup margarine, melted and cooled
   2 tablespoons vanilla or anise extract
   31/2 cups flour
   4 teaspoons baking powder

   Beat eggs, add sugar gradually and beat until smooth. Add margarine and extract. Sift flour and baking powder together and add to egg mixture. Drop by teaspoonfuls on hot pizzelle iron.
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   VARIATIONS:

   “The mini pizzelles are made with raspberry preserves and a dark chocolate bar. You can use any nuts you like.”

   Here’s what we did to make this cookie:

   While the pizzelle was warm and still pliable, we rolled it into a tube shape and set the cookie aside to cool. Meanwhile, we made the chocolate and raspberry filling. Over medium heat, we melted 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon butter, then added 4 tablespoons raspberry preserves and mixed to combine flavors (at this point 1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped nuts may be added). Using a pastry tube, we filled each pizzelle with the filling.

   OR

   Roll warm pizzelles into a tube. Let cool. Fill pizzelles with chocolate or vanilla pudding. Place pizzelles in an oblong pan (we used 9-by-13-inch pan); refrigerate overnight. When ready to serve, place one or two pizzelles on a plate. Garnish each end with whipped cream. For an eye-catching finish, sprinkle the chocolate pudding pizzelles with chocolate shavings and the vanilla pudding pizzelles with fresh fruit such as raspberries or strawberries.

   Layer 5 or 6 pizzelles with alternate layers of pudding ending with a pizzelle. Refrigerate overnight. When ready to serve, cut pizzelle “pie” in quarters. Sprinkle each slice with powdered sugar. Place on cookie tray.

   Place hot pizzelles in muffin tins and shape to mold; let cool. Remove pizzelles — fill with ice cream and whipped cream.