Pistachio apricot cookie
Sadly, both my Czech beehive cookie missions in Prague last weekend failed …. I asked in patisseries, department stores, delicatessens and any other shop that looked remotely promising, but I could not find any traditional beehive cookies or moulds in Prague. People would shake their heads smiling and tell me that the cookies are made only around Christmas! That is a nice thing when you think of it. Not being able to taste something for a long time makes you appreciate it more when it is around. And it is always nice to remember or look forward to the tastes and smells that belong to a special occasion or season.
But luckily for impatient me the internet can provide me with the moulds and I will not have to wait until next year to make a perfect beehive! For my version of the beehive cookies – a pistachio apricot cookie – I used ladyfingers as a base, pistachios and fresh mint for the dough and tangy dried apricots in the buttercream filling.
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Pistachio apricot cookies
for 25-30 cookies
for the pistachio dough
150 grams ladyfingers
+ 25-30 ladyfingers for the base
100 grams unsalted pistachio nuts (shelled)
about 15 fresh mint leaves
100 grams icing sugar
75 grams soft unsalted butter
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon honey
for the cream filling
200 grams soft butter
200 grams icing sugar
100 grams dried apricots
for the topping
25 grams caster sugar
4-5 fresh mint leaves
10 grams pistachio nuts (shelled)
2 apricots, finely chopped
Pulse the 150 grams of ladyfingers in the food processor into fine crumbs.
Pulse the pistachio nuts with the mint leaves in the food processor until finely ground.
Mix the crumbs and the pistachio nuts with the mint, the icing sugar, the butter, the salt and the honey. This goes really well in the food processor too.
Bring together into a ball. Wrap the dough in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
Blend the butter, icing sugar and apricots into a smooth cream in the food processor.
Pulse the caster sugar, the mint leaves and the pistachio nuts until roughly ground. Mix in the apricots.
Spread a layer of the apricot cream on the sugary side of the ladyfingers. Take about 20 grams of the pistachio dough and form a little roll as long and wide as the ladyfinger. Push the roll slightly flatter. I used a little mould for a pretty striped pattern. Gently press the pistachio dough on the cream and sprinkle with the topping.
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