Cantucci di Prato

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large baking sheet
• •Parchment paper
• •Sharp serrated knife
• •Wire cooling rack

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the oven and pan

   Position a rack in the center of your oven and heat to 325°F (165°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. The moderate temperature is essential. Too hot and the outside browns before the inside sets. Too cool and the cookies spread before they firm.

2. 2

   Mix the dry ingredients

   In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined. Make a well in the center. The mixing need not be elaborate. You are simply distributing the leavening.

3. 3

   Add the wet ingredients

   Crack the three eggs into the well. Add the vanilla extract and orange zest. Using a fork, beat the eggs lightly, then begin incorporating the flour from the edges of the well, working gradually inward. When the mixture becomes too stiff for the fork, switch to your hands.

   The dough will seem dry at first. This is correct. There is no butter to provide moisture. Keep working it with your hands until it comes together into a cohesive mass.
4. 4

   Add the almonds

   Add the whole almonds to the dough. Knead briefly to distribute them evenly throughout. The almonds must remain whole. Chopped almonds are a corruption of the original. The whole nuts create the characteristic appearance when you slice the logs, and they provide textural contrast.

5. 5

   Shape the logs

   Divide the dough in half. On the prepared baking sheet, shape each portion into a log approximately 12 inches long and 2 inches wide, leaving at least 3 inches between them. The logs will spread during baking. Flatten the tops slightly with your palm. Brush generously with the egg wash, which creates the characteristic golden sheen.

6. 6

   First bake

   Bake until the logs are golden brown and firm to the touch, 30 to 35 minutes. A crack down the center is normal and desirable. Remove from the oven and let cool on the pan for 10 minutes. The logs must be cool enough to handle but still warm. Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F (150°C).

7. 7

   Slice the logs

   Transfer the logs to a cutting board. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut on a diagonal into slices about 3/4 inch thick. The angle matters. A steep diagonal creates the elegant elongated shape. A straight cut creates stubby rounds. The knife must be sharp or the almonds will shatter the slices. Work with confidence. Hesitation causes crumbling.

   If a few slices break, eat them. They taste the same. Save the intact ones for guests.
8. 8

   Second bake

   Arrange the slices cut side down on the baking sheet. They can be close together as they will not spread. Bake for 8 minutes. Turn each cookie over. Bake another 8 to 10 minutes, until deeply golden and completely dry. The cookies will still feel slightly soft when hot. They harden as they cool. This is the moment that determines their texture. Under-baked cantucci become chewy. Properly baked cantucci shatter.

9. 9

   Cool completely

   Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and cool completely. They will crisp as they reach room temperature. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. They keep for three weeks easily, improving after the first day as the flavors meld. Serve with Vin Santo for dipping, or espresso if wine is not appropriate to the hour.

Chef Tips

• •The almonds must be whole and raw, with their skins intact. Blanched almonds lack character. Sliced or chopped almonds belong in a different cookie entirely. The whole nuts are not negotiable.
• •Traditional cantucci contain no butter, no oil, no fat of any kind. Modern recipes often add butter for tenderness. Those are not cantucci. They are something else. Make what you like, but know the difference.
• •Vin Santo is the traditional accompaniment, but any Italian dessert wine will serve. In Prato, the ritual is specific: hold the cantuccio in the wine for three or four seconds, let it absorb, then eat before it disintegrates. This takes practice.
• •If your cantucci seem too hard, they are correct. If they seem tender or chewy, return them to a 300°F oven for another five minutes. The second bake must thoroughly dry the interior.

Advance Preparation

• •The dough can be shaped into logs, wrapped tightly in plastic, and refrigerated for up to two days before the first bake. Let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before baking.
• •Fully baked cantucci keep in an airtight container for three weeks at room temperature. They do not require refrigeration. They improve after the first day.
• •The cookies freeze well for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature and, if desired, refresh in a 300°F oven for five minutes to restore their shatter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 19g)