There is a time and place for cookies that are fancy, full of swoops and swirls, formed into twists or cutouts, and adorned with sprinkles, frostings, glazes, and everything that’s bling.
Other times, you crave a cookie that’s more wholesome, homespun, and has the confidence to just speak for itself.
“Cantuccioni” are that type of cookie. Hailing from Tuscany, they are like biscotti — but baked only once, not twice — so they are much more tender.
The recipe is from “Italian Cookies” (Gibbs Smith), of which I received a review copy
It was written by Domenica Marchetti, a veteran cookbook writer on all things Italian, who is also a food writer and former newspaper reporter with a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University. She splits her time between Abruzzo, Italy, from where her family hails, and Virginia.
Like so much of the cuisine of Italy, its cookies are straightforward, somewhat rustic, have a certain purity, and make use of basic yet flavorful ingredients that when combined become greater than the sum of their parts. What I especially appreciate about Italian cookies is that they are not over-the-top sweet.
Marchetti includes more than 90 cookie recipes, representing every region of Italy, with interesting anecdotes or history about each one. Enjoy everything from “Occhi Di Bue (Bull’s Eye Jam Cookies)” from Trentina-Alta Adige and “Pinolate Genovesi (Pine Nut Cookies from Genoa) to “Intorchiate (Almond and Wine Twists)” from Puglia and “Frollini Al Pistacchio (Pistachio Butter Cookies” from Sicily.
The dough for the cantuccioni is made of butter, sugar, eggs, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt, and gets extra flavor from both almond and vanilla extracts, plus a splash of either Italian liqueur known as Punch Abruzzo or dark or Jamaican rum.
It’s a very soft, sticky dough, so you need to refrigerate it for at least 2 hours to firm up.
When ready to bake, divide the dough into two, forming each half into an oval. Brush with egg wash, then sprinkle over pearl sugar before sliding into the oven.
Once the loaves are baked and fully cooled, slice them at an angle with a serrated knife.
These cookies won’t test the hardiness of your molars. Instead, they are cakey, tender, and ever so crumbly — in fact, almost like a very firm piece of cake that you’ve let sit for a while to dry out. There’s the gentle taste of vanilla and almond. And yes, these cookies are just faintly sweet.
Some might call them plain. Or basic. But alongside a cup of espresso, cappuccino or glass of sherry, they are never boring.
Cantuccioni
(Makes 18 to 20 cookies)
4 ounces (1 stick; 113 grams) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, at cool room temperature (65°F; 18°C)
1 cup (200 grams) sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 tablespoon Punch Abruzzo (a sweet, citrusy Italian liqueur), or dark or Jamaican rum
2 3/4 cups (340 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
To finish:
Flour for the work surface
1 large egg
2 tablespoons pearl sugar or granulated sugar
Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium, then high, until well incorporated and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Drop in the eggs, one at a time, ,beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts and liqueur until thoroughly mixed in.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Pour this into the butter-and-sugar mixture and mix on low just until incorporated. Scrape the dough out onto a piece of reusable wrap or plastic wrap and pat it into a disk. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until fully chilled — at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Lightly flour a work surface and your hands. Divide the dough in half and shape each piece into an oval about 7-by-5 inches, and 3/4 inch thick. Place the loaves on the baking sheet, taking care to leave at least 3 inches between them.
In a small bowl, whisk the egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush this on the surface of both loaves. Sprinkle the loaves with pearl sugar or granulated sugar — or one of each. Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, until the loaves are golden and set, with cracks on the surface. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes. Then transfer the loaves from the baking sheet to the rack to cool completely.
With a sharp santoku or serrated knife, cut the loaves on the bias into 1-inch-thick oblong slices. You should end up with 10 slices per loaf, including the ends. Store the cantuccioni in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. If you want to package them to give away, be sure they are completely cooled before fitting them into cellophane bags and tying with ribbon.
From “Italian Cookies” by Domenica Marchetti
More Biscotti Recipes to Enjoy: Biscotti Regina
And: Brown Sugar and Almond Biscotti
