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ByRosemary
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These Traditional Christmas Cookies from Naples, Roccoco Biscotti are the perfect dunking cookie. A fast and easy cookie recipe that is full of almonds and so tasty. Serve with a glass of wine, Spumonte or even a cup of tea or an espresso!
Roccoco Biscotti
An Italian Christmas is very different then the Canadian one I grew up with. No stuffed Turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy or even Shortbread!
But I have to say I can’t complain about the Roast Lamb, Crepe Cannelloni, Panettone or Biscotti. Including these Simple but very tasty Roccoco Biscotti.
Where do Roccoco come from?
These cookies are originally from Naples and are served at Christmas Time, preferably with a class of wine, Spumonte, Limoncello or Marsala or if you prefer a cup of tea.
Interesting to know, the longer you bake them (without letting them burn) the harder they get. I bake mine for about 18 minutes and they are neither hard nor soft.
Although they could have gone another 3-5 minutes if you prefer harder biscuits, I have even heard an extra 10 minutes!
They are not a terribly sweet cookie, but have a distinct fall taste and aroma.
It’s best to store these cookies in an air tight container and they will keep for up to a week.
How to Make Roccoco Biscotti
Toast the whole almonds, remove about 10 to top the biscotti with.
The remaining almonds coarsely shop.
In a large bowl add the flour, make a well in the middle and add the sugar, honey, chopped almonds, allspice, baking powder and the lemon and orange zest, stir to combine.
Add the water a little at time until you have a soft, compact dough that isn’t sticky.
Knead a few times on a lightly floured flat surface.
Remove pieces of dough and roll into about 4 inch ropes, then form into circles.
Place the circles on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Brush the cookies with an egg wash.
Cut remaining almonds into large pieces and place 3 pieces on each cookie. Bake for about 18-20 minutes.
Let cool before serving.
How to Roast Almonds
Preheat oven to 350F (180C), spread the almonds in an even layer on a cookie sheet, bake for about 8-12 minutes, stir the nuts 2-3 times while baking.
Remove the nuts from the oven and immediately transfer to a clean plate. Do not let the nuts cool on the cookie tray or they could burn.
What is Pisto?
The traditional Naples Roccoco Recipe calls for an ingredient called Pisto. Which is a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper and cloves.
I was not able to find it where I am, and I wasn’t going to go all the way to Naples to get a jar of spice, although Pizza al Napoletana, I wouldn’t say no to!
So I came to the conclusion that all spice would be the perfect substitute, and that is what I used.
More Delicious Italian Christmas Sweets
Italian Almond Cookies
Chocolate Torrone
Lupin Beans
Struffoli
So whatever you bake for your Christmas Celebration be sure to include something traditionally Italian. Enjoy!
Roccoco Biscotti
Italian Roccoco Biscotti Recipe
Rosemary Molloy
These Traditional Christmas Cookies from Naples, Roccoco Biscotti are the perfect dunking cookie. Almonds a fall spice make them perfect.
Pre-heat oven to 350F (180C), line one or two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Place the almonds on a cookie sheet and bake for 8-12 minutes. Stirring the almonds 2-3 times during baking time. Remove the almonds from the oven and immediately place in a clean bowl to cool. Once cool, remove 10 almonds, chop each almond into 3 pieces and set aside. The remaining almonds ground coarsely.
In a large bowl add the flour, make a well in the middle and add sugar, honey, ground almonds, all spice, baking powder and zest. Stir to combine.
Add the water a little at a time and and stir and bring together until almost combined, then move to a lightly floured flat surface and knead a few times until you have a compact soft, but not sticky dough.
Cut off pieces of dough and make 4 inch (10 cm) long ropes, form into circle shapes, overlapping one end a little on the other. Place cookies on prepared cookie sheets, brush with egg wash and top with 2-3 pieces of almonds. Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes. Let cool before serving. Enjoy!
Biscotti can be either the traditional Italian type which is very crunchy and intended for dunking in coffee, tea, or wine. Or they can be the softer American type, eaten like any cookie. The Italian type keeps longer and has no butter, so they are much lower calorie and very low fat.
The main difference between Cantucci and Biscotti is their origin, Cantucci is from Tuscany, and Biscotti is from the region of Emilia-Romagna. Cantucci is typically made with almonds, while Biscotti are made with all-purpose flour and a variety of nuts and chocolate or nothing.
'biscuits') or cantucci ( Italian: [kanˈtuttʃi]) are Italian almond biscuits that originated in the Tuscan city of Prato. They are twice-baked, oblong-shaped, dry, crunchy, and may be dipped in a drink, traditionally Vin Santo. Versions with smaller pieces are known as biscottini or cantuccini.
What does Biscotti mean in Italian? Directly translated, Biscotti (or biscotto) simply means cookie in modern day Italian. However, the word originates from the Latin word biscoctus, meaning “twice-cooked,” referring to the method used to make traditional Biscotti.
In terms of health regular cookies are a high-calorie treat because of their higher moisture content, which also causes them to contain more fats and sugars. However, because of their drier texture, biscotti usually have lower fat and sugar content. However, it is vital to practice portion control, for both options.
In the US, we typically enjoy our biscotti dipped into espresso, but in Italy, it's also traditional to dip them into a glass of good Vin Santo after a meal.
Traditionally, Tuscans serve cantucci after a meal with Vin Santo, a sweet dessert wine that perfectly complements the not-too-sweet cookie. The cookies also pair well with rich coffee or herbal tea for a delicious afternoon pick-me-up.
Amaretti comes from the word amaro, which means bitter. These biscotti are not bitter, though some recipes do add a small amount of bitter almonds (or essence of bitter almonds), or lemon zest or cinnamon or even a tablespoon of brandy.
Since history and cooking are inextricably linked, discovering a recipe's origins is always fascinating, and no exception applies to the common amaretti biscuit. These tasty biscotti with an almond flavor have a long history because they were allegedly created for the first time in the Middle Ages.
Biscotti, also known as cantucci, are twice-baked Italian cookies made of almonds and originated in Prato, Tuscany, in the 14th-century, where almonds were abundant.
Other sweet options include maritozzi, the famous Italian sweet bread often found in Rome, or biscotti to go with your coffee. A healthy Italian breakfast might consist of some bread, butter, jam, some yogurt, and fruit.
FATTONE. Fattone is the Italian slang for stoner or pothead. This word does not always have a negative stigma, and can refer to someone who simply loves to smoke so much weed that they are happy with the whole world.
The spirits of Gelato #25 and OG unify in this hybrid to create a cookie taste that lingers. Biscotti's densely tricomed nuggets beauty will keep the consumer buzzing from head-to-toe with sweet cookie sensations.
In medieval Italy, a variation of biscotti known as cantuccini was created in the Tuscan town of Prato. This version of biscotti was made with almonds and was typically enjoyed with a sweet dessert wine like vin santo.
The base of a traditional biscotti recipe is simple: eggs, flour, and sugar. From there, the possibilities are endless for all the delicious variations you can make. With a slight change in add-ins, you can easily transform the flavor to align with what you're in the mood for.
As they do in Tuscany, you can dip your biscotti into rich red wines, especially those on the sweeter side. Marsala wine and Vin Santo are the wines of choices for dipping. Most connoisseurs on either side of the pond agree that dipping biscotti into a sweet Italian wine is the perfect end to a hearty Italian meal.
The first biscotti, often referred to as Biscotti di Prato, were created in 14th-century Tuscany in the city of Prato and were made from almonds, which were abundant in the region. Because the second baking drew moisture out of the biscuit, it rendered the biscotti hard, sturdy and, importantly, resistant to mold.
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