Cantuccini

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Cantuccini

These are the classic “biscotti” as they are often known in the US (in Italian, this just means any “cookies”). Using the finest flour available (Italian “00” is the best) results in the most mouthwatering morsels. Guests that come to our cooking classes in Italy tell us that when they get home, these are the first thing that they make. And that they really impress their friends!

  • Prep Time: 0 hours
  • Cook Time: 0 hours
  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Yield: 10

Ingredients

  • 500 g (4 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
  • 400 g (2 cups) sugar
  • 250 g (1/2 lb) almonds, toasted (with their skins if possible)
  • 3 eggs
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 50 g (1/4 cup) melted butter
  • 1618g natural baking powder, enough for 500g (4 cups) flour
  • 1 small shot glass (30 ml) vin santo, or similar sweet wine
  • pinch of salt
  • good pinch of aniseed, toasted in the almond pan with the heat off.
  • To glaze: half an egg white, pinch of aniseed.

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 170°C/340°F
  2. Mix the flour with the baking powder.
  3. In a bowl mix 3 eggs, 3 yolks, the sugar, the melted butter, a pinch of toasted aniseed and the sweet wine.
  4. With the flour, make a well on your work surface.
  5. Carefully pour the mix from the bowl into the well.
  6. Working with a fork or a spatula, amalgamate all the ingredients.
  7. When well mixed, add the toasted, cooled almonds to the mixture.
  8. With a large metal spoon or a metal spatula, spoon, or cut strips (approx 2 inches by 8 inches/4 cm by 15 cm) onto a floured surface. Roll in the flour, shake off excess, and place on a baking sheet covered in baking paper. Form into loaves gently and allow space between the loaves for them to rise.
  9. Bake in an oven at 170°C/340°F for approximately 30 minutes or until golden.
  10. Take out of the oven, cool a little and cut the strips diagonally into biscuits approximately 1 cm (half inch) thick, and brush with the glaze.
  11. Return to the oven and bake for a further 10-15 minutes at the same temperature until golden and glazed (or alternatively slowly at 100°C/210°F).

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