Cantuccini Biscotti Recipes

CANTUCCINI BISCOTTI

Steps:

• PREHEAT the oven to 180/350/gas 4. GREASE a 28cm round shallow cake tin with a little butter and line with baking parchment. MELT the butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat, remove from the heat and leave to cool. MIX together in a large bowl the flour, almonds, sugar, salt and baking powder. ADD the eggs, cognac, vanilla extract and orange zest. STIR together until well combined. ADD the cooled butter to the flour mixture and mix until it starts to form a dough - it will be quite crumbly. PRESS the dough into the base of the cake tin with the palms of your hands, squashing it right into the corners. It should cover the whole base, 3cm deep. BAKE in the oven for 25 minutes, until risen slightly and golden brown. If you remove them now they will be chewy. For a harder biscuits leave an extra 10 mins longer. REMOVE from the oven and turn onto a wire rack to cool. Cu CUT into large fingers and sprinkle with icing sugar.

CANTUCCINI: CLASSIC TUSCAN BISCOTTI

Steps:

• You will also need: 2 cookie sheets or 2 jelly roll pans covered with parchment paper or 2 aluminum foil.
• Set a rack in the middle level of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
• In a bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon and stir well to mix.
• Stir in the almonds.
• In another bowl, whisk the eggs with the vanilla then use a rubber spatula to stir into the dry ingredients.
• Continue to stir until a stiff dough forms.
• Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and divide it in half.
• Roll each half under the palms of your hands into a cylinder a little shorter than your baking sheet.
• Place the logs of dough on the baking sheet, making sure they are neither too close to each other nor to the sides of the pan.
• Press down gently with the palm of your hand to flatten the logs.
• Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the logs are well risen and have also spread to about double their original size.
• The logs are done when pressed with fingertip they feel firm.
• Place the pan on a rack and let the logs cool completely.
• Reset the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds but leave the temperature at 350 degrees.
• Place one of the cooled logs on a cutting board and cut it diagonally into slices 1/3-inch thick.
• Arrange the biscotti on the prepared pans, cut side down.
• It isn't necessary to leave space between them.
• Bake the biscotti for about 15 or 20 minutes or until they are well toasted.
• Cool the pan on a rack.
• Store the cooled biscotti between sheets of parchment or wax paper in a tin or plastic container with a tight-fitting cover.

CANTUCCINI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Combine flour, sugar, eggs, egg yolk, baking powder, and vanilla extract in a food processor. Blend until the mixture forms a ball, scraping the sides of the bowl once or twice. Turn mixture onto a lightly floured surface and knead in hazelnuts, almonds, and anise seeds.
• Beat egg yolk and water together in a bowl.
• Divide dough into 3 pieces and roll into logs about 1 1/2 inches wide. Place onto the prepared baking sheet at least 2 inches apart. Brush with egg yolk-water mixture.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
• Remove from oven and reduce heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Cut logs diagonally into 1-inch slices and lay cut-sides down on the baking sheet. Return cantuccini to the oven until dry and firm, 30 to 40 minutes more.
• Cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight container.

CHOCOLATE CANTUCCI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Combine sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until frothy. Add flour and baking powder and mix well. Fold in chocolate pieces until a sticky dough forms. Separate dough into 2 portions and shape each portion into a long, thick log. Place logs 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake logs in the preheated oven until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Remove logs from the oven and cool until easily handled, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board; slice logs diagonally into 3/4-inch slices using a serrated knife.
• Return cantucci slices to the baking sheet and return to the oven. Turn off oven and allow cantucci to dry in the warm oven for 30 minutes. Cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes, before serving.

TUSCAN BISCOTTI (CANTUCCI)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together eggs and granulated sugar until pale and thick, about 5 minutes. Mix in orange zest and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture until combined. Mix in nuts and dried fruit.
• Divide dough evenly between two parchment-lined baking sheets, forming each half into a 9-by-5-inch rectangle. Brush tops with egg white and sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon sanding sugar.
• Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden all over and tops are firm to the touch, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks and let cool 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.
• Working with one rectangle at a time, transfer dough to a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, cut on a slight diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange, cut-side down, on fresh parchment-lined baking sheets.
• Bake, rotating sheets and flipping cookies halfway through, until lightly golden all over, about 40 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks and let cool completely. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 weeks.

ALMOND BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Toast almonds for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant. Let cool and then chop coarsely. Set aside.
• Reduce oven temperature to 150 degrees C and line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper.
• In a small bowl lightly beat the eggs, vanilla and almond extracts together. Set aside.
• In another bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Beat until blended.
• Gradually add the egg mixture and beat until a dough forms, adding almonds about halfway through.
• On a lightly floured surface roll dough into a log about 14 inches (35 cm) long and 3 - 4 inches (8 - 10 cm) wide. Transfer to baking tray and bake for 30-40 mins. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 mins.
• Cut into slices 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thick diagonally and arrange evenly on baking tray. Bake 10 mins on each side (until they are firm). Remove from oven and cool.