Pastura

An Italian cookie from Michael Chiarello. Be sure you scrape every last drop of honey into the batter or the consistency will be wrong. Buy a 1 lb jar and microwave it for 15-20 seconds to warm the honey so it pours out of the jar more easily.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 15
• Yields: 30 cookies

Ingredients

• 1  lb all-purpose flour, plus more
•  all-purpose flour, for dusting work surface (3-1/2 cups)
• 3 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1  lb honey (1-1/3 cups)
• 1  large egg
• 12  ounces chocolate chips (2 cups)
• 1⁄4 cup heavy cream
•  nonstick cooking spray
• 6  ounces  unblanched whole almonds (about 1-1/2 cups)

Directions

1. Measure the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the honey and egg and beat on low to medium speed just until mixed. This makes a very sticky dough. You can roll it out immediately or scrape it into a ball, place it in a bowl, cover with a tea towel, and chill for 2 hours or up to overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F Combine the chocolate and cream in a heatproof bowl and place over (but not touching) gently simmering water. Heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until melted and smooth. Let cool until warm. (To melt in a microwave, mix the chocolate and cream in a bowl and microwave on high for about 30 seconds. Stir, then repeat.).
3. Meanwhile, cut 3 sheets of parchment paper large enough to fit your baking sheets. The dough is very sticky and difficult to roll out even on a well-floured board. Lightly spray 2 parchment sheets with vegetable spray. Transfer half the dough to 1 prepared sheet and top with the second. The dough is so easily worked that you can begin to spread it with your hands. Roll the dough into as even a rectangle as you can, about 10 inches by 15 inches. It can easily be pushed and prodded into shape.
4. Peel off the top sheet of parchment. Spread half the chocolate in a 3- or 4-inch-wide band down the length of the dough, leaving the top half of the dough free and an inch or so border around the remaining 3 sides. Arrange the almonds, side by side, in short rows across the chocolate band. Each row should abut the next to make a regular pattern. Use the parchment to fold the top half of dough over the almonds and chocolate. Carefully peel back the paper and press the edges together to seal. Slide the shaped log, still on the parchment, onto a baking sheet. Lightly spray the third sheet of parchment with vegetable spray, and repeat the shaping and filling with the remaining half of the dough. Slide the log onto the same baking sheet, if there is room. The dough is so soft, it is best to not move it off the parchment until after baking.
5. Bake until light golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet. If you like softer, chewy cookies, let the logs cool until still slightly warm, then wrap well. If you prefer crispier cookies, let the logs cool completely, then wrap. Using a serrated knife, cut the logs crosswise through the middle of each row of almonds so their rounded shapes show on each side of the cookies. Cut just before serving, or the cookies will dry out.