Biscotti Recipes: Cantuccini (Almond Biscuits)
Posted on Dec 14, 2009 01:01:28 AM
Cantuccini Tuscan biscuits
Cantuccini are typical of Prato, in Tuscany, but they have become very popular in all Italian cuisine. Their real name actually leaves nothing to imagination: “Biscotti di Prato” Don’t be misled though: these biscuits are not for breakfast or for snacking, they are a proper dessert, best served with a very popular sweet wine called “Vin Santo” (Holy wine).
I cooked these biscuits a while ago, the picture kind of gives it away, as the light is not the one we have in December here in Dublin. Actually, it was taken in Italy in March.
The particular thing about these biscuits is that you will have to bake them for a while, take them out of the oven and slice them, and put them back to bake. In this sense they are the real “bis-cotti”, which means “twice baked.”
Here are the ingredients for, well, a few…
- 500g (about 1 lb) plain flour
- 5oog of sugar
- 300g (10 oz) of unpeeled almond
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp of baking powder
- 1 pinch of salt
Preheat the oven at 180°C (356°F) and toast the almonds for 10 minutes, then chop them coarsely. Separate the egg whites and Whip them. Then beat the yolks with the sugar until they form a light and even cream. Put the two egg mixes together and mix them.
Sift the flour in a large bowl and add the baking powder and the salt and the exx mix, one tbsp at the time. When everything is well mixed, add the almonds.
Now you have to give the mix a semi-circular flat shape and lay it on a baking tray (cover it with parchment paper first) and bake them for 15 minutes.
Take them out of the oven and slice them. They should have the shape you see in the picture, about 1cm thick.
Lower the temperature to 150°C (300°F) and put them back in the oven for 25 minutes.
To give them the right texture, let them rest for 24 hours before serving.
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