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Cookie tart, a classic American cake

Tiziana Colombo: per voi, Nonnapaperina

Recipe proposed by
Tiziana Colombo

Recipes for Intolerants, Italian Cuisine, American Holidays
Gluten-free recipes
Lactose-free recipes
Vegetarian recipes
preparazione
Preparation: 01 hours 00 min
cottura
Cooking: 01 hours 00 min
dosi
Ingredients for: 4 people
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5/5 (1 Review)

Cookie tart, a simple and delicious cake

Today we are making a cookie tart, a variant of the classic American-inspired cake. What sets it apart is the addition of a layer of dough in place of the topping, which is often composed of cream, jam, and fresh fruit. The filling, which was created with hazelnut cream just for this occasion, is nonetheless plentiful.

The cookie tart is made up of two layers: a classic one (made with alternative flours) and one enriched with dark chocolate. The chocolate is chopped and integrated into the dough rather than used for decoration alone.

Despite these innovations, the cookie tart embodies the spirit of American baking. A much-maligned (at least in our area) pastry that can provide a lot of satisfaction as it is capable of enhancing simple ingredients and accessible procedures.

The cookie tart is ideal for celebrating an American occasion. At home, the tart is used for both Independence Day and Thanksgiving Day, which are held on July 4th and the fourth Thursday of November, respectively.

Recipe cookie tart

Preparation cookie tart

  • Heat the oven to 180 degrees.
  • Grease the bottom of a mold with butter and sprinkle some flour on it.
  • Melt 150 grammes of butter in a saucepan over very low heat.
  • Meanwhile, chop the chocolate using a sharp knife.
  • In a separate bowl, pour the rice flour, cornstarch, starch, yeast, eggs, sugar, and melted butter.
  • Mix carefully to obtain a soft and uniform mixture.
  • Set aside 40% of the dough and transfer it to the bottom of the mould. Next, apply a coating of hazelnut cream.
  • Add the chopped chocolate to the leftover dough and use it to cover the bottom of the mould.
  • Bake for about half an hour in the oven.
  • Remove the cake from the oven, let it cool, and garnish it with a generous dose of icing sugar.

Ingredients cookie tart

  • 130 gr. of very fine rice flour
  • 100 gr. of cornstarch
  • 70 gr. of potato starch
  • 150 gr. of sugar
  • 150 gr. of clarified butter
  • 2 eggs
  • half a sachet of baking powder
  • 200 gr. of dark chocolate
  • hazelnut cream and icing sugar.

Why did we use rice flour?

One of the advantages of this version of cookie tart is its compatibility with the needs of celiacs; in fact, it is made with rice flour, which must be very fine. The flour must mix well with certain ingredients, such as dark chocolate.

The total absence of gluten is not the only peculiarity of rice flour, which stands out for its delicate flavour, giving ample space to the filling. Rice flour also stands out for its nutritional properties. To begin with, it is low in fat, so the calorie intake is lower than that of common flours. Moreover, it has a lot of starch and mineral salts, which are quite helpful for making dough.

Although rice flour has a respectable yield, in this instance, I suggest using other thickeners, including potato starch and cornflour, which are also frequently used in Mediterranean pastry preparation.

The properties of clarified butter

Given that it contains rice flour, thickeners, yeast, sugar, eggs, and butter, the cookie tart dough is extremely rich. Regarding this, I suggest using clarified butter, which is completely free of casein. Because of this quirk, the flavour is more subdued and subtle, so as not to overpower the other components. In fact, those who use regular butter often lament the too-buttery taste of their doughs.

Moreover, clarified butter has a noticeable resilience to heat, which enables it to be used as a cooking fat. Standard butter, on the other hand, tends to carbonise quickly due to the presence of caseins.

Finally, clarified butter is totally lactose-free and therefore more suitable for those suffering from lactose intolerance.

The role of dark chocolate in the cookie tart

Dark chocolate plays a leading role in the cookie tart recipe; in fact, it makes up the second layer, which is used as a covering to replace the classic topping. The chocolate should be chopped with a small knife and inserted into the dough. The resulting mixture is then applied directly to the filling, i.e., to the hazelnut cream.

Perhaps the most popular food on the planet is dark chocolate, but not many people are aware that it has certain health benefits as well. Antioxidants, which are chemicals that help fight cancer and slow down ageing, are abundant in dark chocolate.

Cookie tart

It has some healthy fats and mineral salts that are useful to the body. As any person with a sweet taste knows, and as supported by some new scientific research, it’s also beneficial for your mood.

Dark chocolate should obviously be consumed in moderation due to its high calorie content. The caloric content per 100 grammes always surpasses 500 kcal, regardless of the amount of cocoa.

How to decorate the cookie tart?

Even those without much baking experience can easily make the cookie tart. The filling is just a basic hazelnut cream, which can be made with artisanal creams or traditional Nutella. Though each Italian region has its own unique variant, Piedmont’s, which is backed by a long history of hazelnut production, is the best.

The hazelnut cream adds calories to the cake, but considering its flavorful contribution, this is a flaw that is easy to overlook. Without a doubt, the hazelnut cream’s distinctly “chocolaty” combination makes it perfect.

As for the decoration, simply use a generous dose of icing sugar. It is the least complicated choice, but also the one that pays the most if you intend to reward the value of simplicity.

5/5 (1 Review)
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