The HAZELNUT CANTUCCI are my personal variation of the traditional Tuscan version made with almonds. These cookies are quick and easy to prepare, and are great to dip in classic Vin Santo, in milk, or enjoyed with a good tea for a tasty and wholesome breakfast or snack.
An official recognition of the cantuccini appears in the dictionary of the Accademia della Crusca which in 1691 gave the following definition: “sliced biscuit, of finest flour, with sugar and egg white.”
The most famous cantucci of the time were produced in Pisa, while almonds became part of the ingredients only in some variations, such as the “biscottelli” from the era of Caterina de’ Medici, becoming a defining element from the second half of the 19th century.
The first documented recipe of this dessert is a manuscript, preserved in the State Archive of Prato, by Amadio Baldanzi, an 18th-century scholar from Prato. In that document the biscuits are called alla genovese.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: about 15 cantucci
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 194.95 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 20.47 (g) of which sugars 7.59 (g)
- Proteins 4.84 (g)
- Fat 11.52 (g) of which saturated 2.67 (g)of which unsaturated 8.40 (g)
- Fibers 1.56 (g)
- Sodium 38.11 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 40 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 eggs (medium, at room temperature)
- 3 1/2 tbsp butter (melted and cooled)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- pinch salt
- lemon zest (untreated)
- 7 oz toasted hazelnuts (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 egg
Tools
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Baking sheet
- 1 Sieve
- 1 Knife with a smooth blade
- 1 Grater
- Parchment paper
Steps
The preparation of the HAZELNUT CANTUCCI is very easy and quick.
Sift the flour with the baking powder and make a well on your work surface. In the center place the slightly beaten eggs, the salt, the melted and cooled butter, the lemon or orange zest and the sugar.
Begin to knead and add the toasted hazelnuts. Depending on the size of the eggs you may need to add a little more flour to make the dough not too sticky.
Shape the dough into a slightly flattened log and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush with the egg and bake in a preheated conventional (non-fan) oven at 356°F (180°C) for about 20 minutes.Remove from the oven and gently place on a cutting board. While still warm, slice it diagonally with a knife having a smooth blade.
Return the slices to the oven and bake another 10 minutes per side.Remove the hazelnut cantucci from the oven and let them cool well, preferably on a wire rack, before enjoying them.
STORAGE
You can easily store these cantucci for several days; the only precaution is to keep them in a tin box.
