This Week’s Recipe: Cantuccini

Why Italian Almond Biscuits (Cantuccini)?

Despite being delicious, these Italian biscuits kept me entertained during the late nights while staying in Florence last year. Without realising it at the time I was enjoying these sweet dry almond biscuits like a true Tuscan – not with a coffee, but with cold sweet dessert wine, Vin Santo.

While in Florence my mother and I stayed at a little B&B situated on a back street in the heart of Florence. Late at night when I couldn’t drift off to sleep, I would creep out to the kitchenette taking a handful or two of these biscuits to enjoy with a glass of Vin Santo (bought at St Lorenzo Market) and listen to the bustle of the city.

Cantuccini are Italian biscotti style biscuits - meaning they are twice baked - traditionally from Prato (these biscuits are also known at Cantuccini di Prato). They can be sweet or savoury; flavoured popularly with almonds these days, but are also made with aniseed, rosemary, Vin Santo or saffron.

Ingredients
250g plain flour
200g caster sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
125g blanched whole almonds
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
25g melted butter
2 teaspoons amaretto

Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Place almonds on a lined baking tray and roast in oven for 5 – 10 minutes or until golden brown. Reserving half, place the almonds in a food processor and process until they are coarse.

In a mixer place the 2 whole eggs and caster sugar, whisking until pale and fluffy. Add the amaretto and slowly fold in the flour, butter baking powder and all the almonds.

Form the dough into 1 inch long logs, 1cm thick. Lay them out, well apart, on a lined baking try. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before brushing with the beaten egg yolk.

Bake 20- 30 minutes, or until golden on top. Leave to rest for 5 minutes to harden before cutting into 1 cm thick slices with a serrated knife. Place back on lined baking tray and return to the oven for 5-10 minutes to brown and dry out.

Store, once cool in an airtight container and enjoy with Vin Santo, or if desired a coffee.

Makes 50 biscuits.

Bon Appetite