Chianti, Cantucci & Cornflakes?

  copyright 2011 art of living,PrimaMedia,Inc/Maria Liberati

What does Chianti have in common with cornflakes..well not  much. But this past summer when I was invited to spend some time at Castello D’Albola in Chianti and made my way to all the little towns I found a particular cookie in many of the ‘forno’ (bakeries) there that I have been wanting to test out in my test kitchen here in Italy.
The cookie got my attention when I quickly spotted it in the window of a little bakery in the chic little town of Radda in Chianti, next to all the cantucci biscotti (the local biscotti produced in that region) The reason..it is very similar to a cookie that I remember from my childhood in the US that is made with cornflakes..and really delicious.
 
If you purchase them in Chianti they sell for 15 (about $22US) Euro a kilo (2 pounds), but you can make them at home for much less. Who would have thought that a little infamous cornflake cookie from the US would be featured in a bakery next to the famed cantucci biscotti.?
While spending time in my test kitchen here I was finally able to put together a recipe and added other flavors to make them decidedly Italian-dark Italian chocolate and peel of fresh oranges, another delicious memory of Chianti….
Cornflakes in Chianti Cookies
(from The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition)

*2 cups flour
*3/4 cup sugar
*2 eggs
*1/2 cup butter
*1 tsp vanilla
*16 ounces dark baking chocolate (at least 60% cocoa)
*grated peel of one fresh orange
*approximately 2 cups of cornflakes for coating cookies
*1 tsp baking powder
Sift flour and baking powder together. In separate bowl blend together sugar and eggs. Add in softened butter and sifted flour/baking powder-1/2 cup at a time. When blended, add in vanilla, chocolate and orange peel. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cover baking sheet with parchment paper. Place cornflakes on flat dish. Separate dough into small balls, roll in cornflakes, flatten cookie, place on cookie sheet, be sure to leave space between each cookie.
Bake for 15 minutes in preheated oven.
 For more great recipees get yoru copy of the book selected as the best Italian cuisine book in the USA by Gourmand World Cookbook Awards  The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition