Cantuccini
Tuscan Almond Biscuits

Prep time: 30 mins | Total time: 1 hour 15 mins | Servings: 10

Ingredients

• 500 g (1 lb) plain (all-purpose) flour
• 400 g (13 oz) sugar
• 250 g (8 oz) almonds, toasted
• 3 eggs
• 3 egg yolks
• 50 g (2 oz) melted butter
• 1 sachet Natural baking powder, enough for 500g (1 lb) flour
• 1 glass sweet vin santo
• pinch of salt
• good pinch of aniseed
• To glaze: 1 egg yolk, half an egg white, aniseed.

Directions

• Preheat your oven to 170°C/340°F
• With the flour, make a well on your work surface.
• Put all the other ingredients into the well, except the almonds.
• Working first with a fork and then with your hands, amalgamate all the ingredients.
• Add the toasted, cooled almonds to the mixture.
• With a large metal spoon, spoon strips (approx 2 inches by 8 inches/4 cm by 15 cm) onto a floured surface. Roll in the flour and place on a baking sheet with baking paper on top.
• Bake in an oven on 170°C/340°F for approximately 30 minutes or until golden.
• Take out of the oven, cut the strips diagonally into biscuits approximately 1 cm (half inch) thick, and brush with the glaze.
• Return to the oven and bake for a further 10-15 minutes until golden and glazed.