Cuscini Ciok – Italian Chocolate-Filled Shortbread Cookies

Little pillows of Tuscan shortbread, split by a river of dark chocolate cream and finished under a veil of powdered sugar.

Bristot has been baking in San Gimignano — the town of towers, in the hills between Florence and Siena — since 1957. Its pasta frolla is built on almost nothing: butter, eggs, sugar, a pinch of salt. Everything depends on the hand that works it, which is why the dough is still kneaded and filled by hand, one batch at a time.

Cuscini means "pillows," and that is exactly what they look like: plump, ridged, golden at the edges, generous in the middle. The bite is short and buttery, then the chocolate takes over.

Set them out with espresso, with a cappuccino at breakfast, or on the tea tray in the afternoon.

At a glance

• Type: Filled shortbread cookies (pasta frolla)
• Filling: Chocolate cream
• Finish: Dusted with powdered sugar
• Method: Dough worked and filled by hand
• Bakery: Bristot, San Gimignano, Tuscany · since 1957
• Format: 200 g tray (7.05 oz)