Happy New Year 2016!!!  I am sorry for not posting sooner, as you can see by my photo these were meant as a holiday treat, then again I usually don’t need a holiday to have a treat.  So in that vein, I present to you this addicting little babies.

I found the original recipe on David Leibovitz’s site HERE.  His site is so beautiful and inspiring.  He is an expat baker living in France and has great recipes and stories to share, check it out!!

I have simplified the recipe and of course cut down on the sweetener, I find they don’t need too much sweet and the hazelnut flavor is highlighted even more.

This year in lieu of resolutions, I have decided to try the Wim Hof Method course.  This is a ten week course that encompasses cold immersion and breathing techniques to make you stronger, healthier and happier.

Wim Hof is the Iceman check him out HERE.  He is very charismatic, funny and holds the world record for being immersed in ice water without changing his core body temperature.  I am starting week 4 and so far so good, I really like the breathing technique and the challenge of the cold showers.  My goal is to swim in the Yellowstone River come early spring.  I shiver at the thought, but hopefully by week 10 I will be eager to jump in!!!

Baci Di Dama Cookies

1 1/4 Cups Hazelnuts, toasted and skinned

1 Cup Rice Flour

1/2 Cup Butter, room temperature 

1/4 Cup Organic Sugar

Pinch of Salt

3 oz Bittersweet Chocolate

1. Place the Hazelnuts into a food processor and blend until they are the consistency of fine sand.
2. In a medium bowl add the hazelnuts, flour, butter, sugar and salt, mix with your hands until the dough comes together.
3. Roll the dough into logs about an inch in diameter,  it will be a bit crumbly so just keep at it, place the logs in the freezer for about 15 minutes.
4. Working with one log at a time cut it into even segments about an inch in length and roll into balls.
5. Place the balls onto a cookie sheet and bake at *325 for 10-14 minutes until the tops are golden brown.  Let them cool completely.
6. In a double boiler melt the chocolate and dip the top of each cookie into the chocolate and place them back on the cookie sheet.  Add sprinkles if you’d like and let the chocolate set up.
7. Enjoy!  Makes approximately 18 cookies (depending on the size you roll them).