Recipes from Authentic Italian Women – Serenella
Cantucci di Prato (Almond cookies)
Printable version
Biscotti in Italian refers to cookies in general. The word biscotti (biscuits in French and English) means ‘twice cooked’ and refers to the Italian cookies that are now widely sold all over the world.
The city of Prato (a famous textile center near Florence in Tuscany) is famous for its Cantucci or mini biscotti. These are traditionally served at the end of a meal with a small glass of vin santo (Tuscan dessert wine) for dipping. Some people also dip cantucci in their espresso, cappuccino or tea.
This recipe for cantucci is a classic. Our family enjoys these all year long. For the holidays, a brightly wrapped package of home-made cantucci makes a lovely and thoughtful present either on its own or with a small bottle of imported vin santo!
Oh, and if you’re wondering about butter, the classic cantucci are made without butter.
3 cups all-purpose flour (or Italian 00 flour)
1 cup granulated sugar (with some extra for sprinkling)
1 cup whole almonds (you can substitute hazel nuts if you prefer but almonds are the classic nut used)
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons anise seeds (these are the classic addition to cantucci and give a slight licorice flavor to the cookies)
Zest (finely grated) of 1 lemon
¼ teaspoon salt
3 eggs (large)
2 egg yolks (large)
2 teaspoons vin santo (preferable) or other sweet wine
1 egg white (large) lightly beaten
Preheated oven (350°)
Standing mixer (preferable)
Grease and flour a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper. In the bowl of the mixer combine the flour with the 1 cup of sugar and the almonds, baking powder, anise seeds, lemon zest and salt. Add the whole eggs, egg yolks and vin santo. Beat with the paddle attachment at low speed until a stiff, crumbly dough firms (should still be slightly sticky).
Place the dough on a well-floured work surface and knead it carefully several times until it comes together (don’t knead too much). Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces and shape each piece into the form of a log that measures 1 ½ inches by 12 inches. Place the logs on the baking sheet. Brush the tops of the longs with the egg white and lightly sprinkle with some sugar. Bake the logs in the center of the oven for about 25 minutes (they should be lightly browned and slightly firm). Cool the logs for ½ hour on the baking sheet. Transfer them to a cutting board.
Now grease and flour 2 baking sheets (or line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper). Cut the still-warm logs into ½ inch thick diagonal slices with a serrated knife. Place the individual cantucci on the baking sheets, cut sides down, and bake. Turn once while baking. After about 25 minutes, the cantucci should be ready and golden brown.
These cookies can be stored in an airtight container for 1 week.
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How can I print off the recipes from your website?
Thanks, Ruby Flowers
Dear Ruby,
Thank you so much for your inquiry. When I received it I scratched my head a bit because the only way I know of is to print out the articles.
I wrote to my web person. She will start a separate file of recipes that can be accessed from the Toscana Mia blog.
Thank you so much for bringing this to my attention. I know it does not help you immediately.
I will try to schedule the new files for the next few weeks.
Again, thanks very much!
Serenella
Are you sure about the 350°? Is that C°? or F°?
The 350 degrees is Fahrenheit (for the benefit of U.S. readers). Thank you for asking.