Cantuccini (Italian almond biscuits)

Cantuccini are easy to make and last very well – perfect for edible gifts. My favorite cantuccini are flavored with lemon zest and studded with almonds, but you could omit the lemon and add a teaspoon of vanilla.

Cantuccini (Italian almond biscuits)

Recipe by Anna BembryCourse: DessertsCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Simple
Servings

15

servings
Prep time

30

minutes
Baking time

50

minutes

These crunchy biscuits are great with coffee, or served with chilled sweet dessert wine for dipping.

Ingredients

  • 250 g / 8.8 oz cake flour + extra for dusting

  • 150 g / 5.3 oz cane sugar

  • 5 g / 0.2 oz baking powder

  • 50 g / 1.8 oz finely chopped almonds

  • 50 g / 1.8 oz whole almonds

  • 1 lemon, zested

  • 2 large eggs

  • a pinch of salt

Method

  • Sift the flour over the finely chopped almonds. Add a pinch of salt, baking powder, sugar, the lemon zest, eggs, and whole almonds. Knead the dough into a homogenous mass.
  • Form the dough into a log, 3-4 cm in diameter, and put it on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, then put it in the oven preheated to 190C / 375F for 30 minutes. Carefully transfer the log onto a cutting board. Reduce the oven temperature to 170 – 180C / 335 – 355F. With a very sharp bread knife, cut slices, about 1.5 cm thick. Place them on the baking sheet and put them back in the oven. Bake for 10-12 minutes, then flip the cookies over and bake for another 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and pull the cookies together with the parchment paper onto a cooling rack. Enjoy your cantuccini by dipping them in coffee or sweet dessert wine.

Notes

  • To slice the baked log use a bread knife. Its serrated blade is best for cutting through the thick, tough crust, without crushing the biscuit.

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