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Cantuccini di Prato are the original twice-baked almond biscotti of Tuscany, born in the hilltop city of Prato where they have been produced since at least the 14th century and where they are still protected by a guild of traditional bakers. The dough is enriched with eggs, sugar, and orange zest but contains no butter or oil, which is what gives these biscuits their distinctive bone-dry, intensely crunchy character after the second baking. Whole almonds are folded in to create irregular pockets of crunch and nutty flavour throughout each slice. The traditional way to eat cantuccini is to dip them briefly into a small glass of Vin Santo, Tuscany's amber dessert wine, though a strong espresso works equally well for breakfast.
Prep
20 min
Cook
45 min
Total
65 min
Servings
4 srv
Difficulty
Medium
Calories
200 kcal
For 4 serving(s)
Per serving
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, and orange zest until pale and slightly foamy.
Sift in the flour and baking powder and stir until a stiff, sticky dough forms. Fold in the whole almonds until evenly distributed.
With lightly floured hands, shape the dough into two logs about 4cm wide and 25cm long on the prepared tray. Smooth the tops and flatten slightly.
Bake for 25-28 minutes until the logs are golden and firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Reduce the oven temperature to 150°C (300°F). Using a sharp serrated knife, slice the logs diagonally into biscuits about 1cm thick. Lay cut-side down on the tray.
Return to the oven for 15-18 minutes, turning once halfway, until completely dry and golden. Cool fully on a wire rack - they will crisp further as they cool.
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