Evelyn's Pizzelles

Today, we are making more pizzelle recipes that I could have bought!

Evelyn's Pizzelles 3 cups flour 1 tsp baking powder 6 eggs 1 tsp anise oil or other flavor 1 cup sugar 1 cup cooking oil Combine flour and baking powder in a sifter, set aside. Beat eggs and anise oil (or your flavoring of choice) with an electric mixer until very light. Gradually add the sugar, beating the whole time. Beat until very thick. Gradually pour in the oil, beating on high speed the whole time. Then set aside the mixer. Sift in the flour and stir it in by hand. Cook on a hot pizzelle iron until crisp and golden. Source: handwritten recipe taped onto a pizzelle iron box

Some readers may recall that I was recommended (and then did not buy) the same pizzelle iron I already have, which came in its original box with a lot of recipes pasted onto it. For whatever reason, I loved the idea of making pizzelles that could have been made on the same iron that is perched above the refrigerator (or at least, one that came out of the same molds). And recipes with a name attached always seem extra-special, even if they're all strangers to me.

Obviously, I have no idea who the Evelyn in "Evelyn's Pizzelles" was. But we lived up the street from someone named Evelyn, who presumably had a last name but was "Miss Evelyn" to everyone who knew her. (Her husband, "Mister Evelyn," was just quietly in the background.) Every time we came by her house, she treated us like we were there every week. She also always gamely bought overpriced gift wrap and figurines whenever we went door to door selling things from those horrible school fundraiser catalogs.

Anyway, today's pizzelle recipe looks similar to a lot of the other ones we've made, except for one crucial ingredient change: 

Yes, instead of melting shortening or butter, Evelyn uses cooking oil! I've always associated cooking oil with cake mix, which (especially these days) tastes like a placeholder for a real cake. But who am I to dispute someone's written directions? More so than any other time I've made pizzelles, this part felt like making mayonnaise. After getting all the oil into the batter, it was noticeably deflated but still foamy.

Our recipe says "anise oil or other flavor." I was not sure that anise extract (which is not the same as anise oil but it's what I had on hand) and peanut oil would go together. But who am I to argue with a barely-legible recipe? If it's written down, it must have worked for someone.

This seemed like I should have poured it into cake pans instead of spooning onto a waffle iron. I have never made pizzelles from such a runny batter. (Though of course, I am still barely experienced.)

Because I wanted to try these without a stovetop fuss, I made them the modern, electric way.  I use the stovetop irons when I want to have a lovely meditative experience in the kitchen, but the electric one is so fast I almost think I'm cheating. It feels like I'm zapping pizzelles into existence.

Our pizzelles were ready just a few seconds after closing the iron. Evelyn's batter didn't expand as much as I thought it would, so our first pizzelles were sad and runty.

These pizzelles challenged all my previous beliefs about cooking oil and lousy baked goods. They were really good. I can't tell if the oil made a difference or if I was imagining it. They were a lot like the Fante's pizzelles, but lighter and less substantial. It's easier to eat five instead of two of these.

I will say that these weren't bendy like the other ones from this box, but they weren't as fragile as the other pizzelles we've made either. I don't think I could wrangle a stack of Fante's pizzelles into a cramped sandwich bag like this. So Evelyn's pizzelles are perfect for giving away.

Whoever Evelyn was, she had a darn good recipe. I hope whoever actually bought the iron tries it.