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We all know and love the traditional crispy pizzelle. But what if they turn soggy or lose their crispiness down the road? Here’s how to avoid and fix that!
A pizzella is a very thin, crispy wafer Italian cookie. In Italy, they’re called pizzelle. A family’s iron was designed to include family crests, special dates, or other meaningful designs for hundreds of years. The crispiness is the pizzella’s staple. You have to do it really wrong to make soggy pizzelle, especially if you use a pizzelle maker.
You see, the pizzelle makers are made to bake ideally thin cookies. With all that thinness, it’s nearly impossible to have cookies that aren’t crispy.
What's Inside
How to Make a Crispy Pizzelle
So, to make thin and crispy pizzelle, you need to have a pizzelle maker. The plates should be given a light mist of non-stick spray, then wiped off with a paper towel to keep the pizzelle from coming out greasy.
- Plugin the pizzelle iron and preheat it while you make the batter.
- Add eggs, sugar, anise seeds, and anise extract together.
- The anise seeds are optional but I like the extra flavor they give. You can whisk in melted butter once everything is well mixed.
- The flour and baking powder have to be whisked together. Place egg mixture into the fold.
- Place a tablespoon of batter in the center of the maker and bake until golden brown (1 minute).
How to Keep Pizzelle Crisp
So here are some tips on how you can keep your pizzelle from getting soggy or soft:
- Once baked, put the pizzelles on the wire rack to cool.
- Once cool, store the finished product in airtight containers until ready to serve. They should last about 2 weeks if stored properly.
- To reheat, simply pop the container straight into the microwave for 30 seconds. Alternatively, you may heat them directly by wrapping them individually in tin foil and heating them in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes per side.
- For best flavor, try serving them warm right out of the fridge. However, once warmed, they tend to lose their crispiness pretty quickly.
- Dust them with powdered sugar.
- They can be pressed into a bowl or cylinder if they’re still warm.
- Adding lemon or orange zest will add to the flavor.
How to Store Pizzelle
Put them in a zip-top bag. They should stay crisp as long as they are wrapped cool. To keep them crisp, you don’t have to do anything special. The ratio of ingredients in this recipe makes it seem like the pizzelle stay that way when it comes off the iron.
If you want to make big batches, wrap the pizzelle tightly in plastic and put them in the freezer. They can be frozen and can be kept for months.
How to Keep Pizzelle from Sticking to the Iron
You shouldn’t have a problem if you have a pizzelle maker with a non-stick finish. It is best to mist the plates with a spray and then wipe the excess with a paper towel because the pizzelle iron is preheating. It is usually not needed to do this for every cookie.
- Make sure there is enough grease on the surface of the pans before baking.
- Use only room temperature water. Hot water causes the dough to expand too much and become tough.
- Do not overbake the pizzelle. Overcooking will result in a chewy texture.
- When removing the pizzelle from the iron, use tongs instead of fingers. This prevents the cookies from breaking apart during removal.
- After cooling completely, place each pizzella onto parchment paper so that they dry evenly. You can also freeze them after they come out of the oven.
- Store cooled pizzelles in an air tight container. They will remain fresh for up to two weeks.
FAQ
Yes, they are meant to be very thin and crispy. That’s why we call them “pizza” shaped pastries.
No, it needs to be quite runny. We recommend adding 1/8 cup of flour to the batter.
Sure, but remember that these are delicate little treats. Adding extra sugar or salt could toughen the crust. Also, avoid adding nuts, chocolate chips, etc., since those might get stuck inside the baked pizza shell.
We suggest storing them in an airtight container at room temperature.
Try spraying your hands with cooking oil first. Then gently remove the pizzelle from the sheet tray using a spatula. Place the pizzelle back on the sheet tray and bake again until golden brown.
