-
1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
-
2
Line an 18 by 12-inch baking sheet with aluminum foil.
-
3
Place the pecans and sugar in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until the nuts are coarsely chopped.
-
4
Add the butter, flour, molasses, cream, and vanilla and process until well mixed and the nuts are finely chopped.
-
5
Transfer the dough to a bowl.
-
6
Place heaping tablespoonfuls of the dough on the foil-lined baking sheet, spacing the cookies far apart and leaving lots of room to expandmakes only 6 cookies at a time.
-
7
Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until bubbly all over and golden brown.
-
8
Watch the cookies carefully, as they turn from brown to burned very quickly; the baking time may need to be adjusted according to your oven.
-
9
Remove from the oven and place, still on the foil, on a cake rack to cool completely.
-
10
Continue to bake the cookies in batches until all the dough is used.
-
11
(Make extra cookies, as they are very fragile and break easily.)
-
12
Once they are cooled, very carefully peel the foil away from the back of the lace cookies; it is very easy to break the cookies.
-
13
If holding the cookies for any length of time, place in an airtight container.
-
14
For the Orange Mascarpone Filling:
-
15
Place the cream in a small bowl and whip by hand or with an electric mixer until fairly stiff.
-
16
Using a whisk, stir in the mascarpone, liqueur, sugar, and orange zest until the mixture is smooth.
-
17
Be careful not to over mix, because the mascarpone might separate.
-
18
Use immediately, or set aside and refrigerate for up to 3 hours.
-
19
To assemble, place 1 lace cookie on a dessert plate.
-
20
Spread 1 tablespoon of the filling gently over the cookie, or pipe, using a pastry bag.
-
21
Place 4 raspberries, equally spaced, on the filling.
-
22
Place a third cookie on top of the raspberries and top with 1 tablespoon of the filling.
-
23
Repeat with the remaining cookies and filling.
-
24
Garnish each dessert with 3 or 4 raspberries and a mint sprig.
-
25
Serve immediately.
