Most Italians would say that the Tuscans are crap at desserts – but after ginormous platters of cured meats and cheeses with unsalted hard bread, pici with ragu, wild boar stew or nana or fiorentina, sformati… could you really manage a rich dessert? A plate of these hard little biscuits for the whole table, along with some sweet wine to dunk them in, is all anyone really needs. That, and a little lie down.
It’s a biscuit you must take your time over as dunking is more than a serving suggestion – it’s a requirement if you want to avoid dental work. Vin santo would be the canonical choice, but any dessert or fortified wine will do, as will a milky coffee or indeed tea. Dad would probably leave crumbs in his whisky glass.
This is the classic recipe. No chocolate chips, no fancy flavours, no icing. (And perfect to use up the half bag of almonds left in my pantry…)
Classic Italian cantucci
Adapted from the brilliant Anice & Cannella
Ingredients
- 225g 00 flour
- 180g caster sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 yolk
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 25g melted butter and cooled a bit
- Zest of half an orange (optional)
- 125g whole, unpeeled natural almonds
- 1 beaten egg for brushing over the biscuits
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190˚C. When it’s nearly at temp, toast the almonds lightly, spread out on a baking sheet – about 8 minutes. Then remove and set aside the almonds. Line the baking sheet with non-stick parchment.
- Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl.
- Beat the egg and yolk with the caster sugar and pinch of salt in an another large mixing bowl until very pale. Add the orange zest and melted butter and beat in too. Gradually add in the sifted flour mixture. Finally add the almonds and mix to disperse them evenly.
- Divide the dough into two. Make two long squashed sausage shapes on the baking sheet, each about 3 fingers wide and 1 finger high. Brush with the beaten egg all over. Bake for half an hour until golden and firm in the centre.
- Take out of the oven and cool briefly. Set the oven temperature to 110˚C. When it’s at temperature, cut each sausage along the diagonal into biscuits about 1.5cm wide. Lay each with one cut side up on the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes on this side. Then turn them all over and bake for another 10 minutes. Remove to a wire rack. Store in an airtight container.
Preparation time: 30 minute(s)
Cooking time: 50 minute(s)
Number of servings (yield): 12
Meal type: snack
Culinary tradition: Italian
4 Comments on "Classic Italian cantucci"
They look delicious ! I can’t wait to try this recipe !
So flippin’ easy too – definitely a recipe where you get disproportionately more brownie points than the effort required should warrant…
Ciao, sono Salvatore.
Devo dirti che hai un Blog veramente speciale: complimenti.
Sicuramente la ricetta è da provare con urgenza, anche perché è un dolcetto che piace ai miei figli, con una leggera variante, aggiungendo un pò di cioccolato fondente a pezzettini.
Grazie ancora e Buona Estate.
Salvatore
Ciao Salvatore, grazie mille per i complimenti sul blog – devo dirti che mi sento un po’ in imbarazzo proponendo una ricetta cosi “italiana” anche ai lettori italiani! Comunque, cerco di presentare una cucina italiana piu’ pura e semplice di quella conosciuta al estero (troppi sapori insieme, aglio ovunque…).
Se non la conosci, e’ sicuramente da seguire Paoletta di Anice & Cannella da cui ho trovato questi biscotti favolosi.
Il tuo blog e’ utilissimo, e spero di seguire il tuo corso di specializzazione in semifreddi tra un paio di settimane – mi sposto a Londra in una cucina senza gelatiera (come vivere?!)…