Italian Cantucci Cookies (Biscotti)

The italian dipping cookie that we all know and love is actually called Cantucci. Biscotti as it turns out is a generic Italian term for Cookie. So all these years I have been saying it wrong. While we typically associate Cantucci with a cookie that we dip into a coffee or espresso, in Italy Cantucci is dipped in a sweet dessert wine called Vin Santo. (Credit goes to Fausto Lorenzetti a cousin from Lucca Italy for teaching me the proper Vin Santo dipping etiquette).

This recipe has been handed down for a few generations in my family and I am excited to share it with you.

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp salt

3 tsp baking powder

3 Tbsp anise seeds

1 1/2 cups chopped roasted almonds

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp almond extract

3 eggs

1 cube butter

1 Tbsp shortening

Roast almonds at 350 for 11 minutes, let the almonds cool before chopping.

MIX DRY Ingredients:

3 Cups Flour

¾ teaspoon SALT

3 teaspoons BAKING POWDER

3 tablespoons Anise Seeds

1 ½ cups chopped almonds

MIX WET Ingredients:

ONE AND ONE QUARTER CUPS OF SUGAR

1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon Almond extract

3 Eggs

1 Cube melted Butter

½ tablespoon melted shortening

Combine Dry and Wet ingredients into mixer

Place on parchment lined cookie sheet formed into long rolls. (recipe makes around 3 rolls)

Bake rolls on greased cookie sheet 25 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees until lightly browned.

Let cookies cool for about 7 minutes, cut and rebake for 12 minutes at 350 degrees.

Click here for an Instagram video of Biscotti prep.