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)
Course: DessertsCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: SimpleServings
15
servingsPrep time
30
minutesBaking time
50
minutesThese 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.
Looks AMAZING