Cantucci (Italian Almond biscuits)

Biscotti and Cantucci are kinda the same thing – divided by region.

450g plain flour
1tsp baking powder
170g softened butter
340g caster sugar
3 eggs + 1 extra yolk
225g whole almonds
vanila extract
freshly grated nutmeg

cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs + yolk, nutmeg and vanilla – beat till smooth. add the flour, baking powder and almonds to make a smooth batter/dough. Refrigerate for 30mins to make it easier to handle, and then roll into 2-3 batons.

Bake these for 15-20 minutes at 200ºc intil golden brown. leave them to cool, then cut into diagonal slices about 1cm thick. and return to the oven for 6-8 minutes until golden and crisp. Turn off the oven, and temper them by cooling in the open oven.

Serve these with a sweet wine after dinner – Moscato or vin santo, or even a sparkling asti.

Oatcakes (a journey)

Oatcakes – the bread of Scotland, or at least they were once. Ther range of oatcakes available in the shops (in Scotland, were I live) is huge – some are like brown crumbly pastry, some hard dry crunchy oat blocks. I’m trying to find a recipe I like and this is the start of the journey.

Oatcakes – first take

225g oatmeal (course ground oat flour)
60g plain white flour
60g butter
1 tsp salt
4 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
60ml (upto 90ml) hot water

Mix the oatmeal, flour, salt, sugar and bicarb together and rub the butter in to make a breadcrumb mix. Add hot water little by little to make a dough – it will thinken with work, so dont worry if its a bit sticky at first.

Flour a worktop and rollout the dough to about 1/2cm thick (pastry thick). cut into rounds (using a tumbler) and bake at 170c for about 20mins until golden.

Taste notes – I wanted a sightly sweeter oatcake, so I will add a little extra sugar next time. This recipe works well for an oatcake. Next attempt – I’ll try to grind the oatmeal a little finer, or add a bit more flour. I’ll add a bit more sugar for a sweeter biscuit. I’m looking for something between a digestive and a trad oatcake, and something a little less rough!

Oat Raisin Cookies

175g plain flour
1tsp baking powder
175g butter
175g soft brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
175g porridge oats
100g raisins

Makes about 30 cookies. Preheat oven to 180°c. (less for fan)

Beat the butter and sugar together, add the eggs then flour and baking powder & mix to a dough. Add the oats & raisins and mix.

Add spoonfuls to a baking tray (well spaced) and bake for 12 minutes. allow to harden before moving to a cooling rack.

Danish Butter cookies

250g) butter (soft/room temp)
60g icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
250g plain flour

Preheat oven to180C and line a couple of  baking sheets
  1. Whisk the  butter in a bowl until creamy.
  2. Add the icing sugar and vanilla extract and continue mixing until the mixture becomes white and fluffy.
  3. Using a spatula fold in the flour  until completely mixed. Do it gently to keep the texture light.
  4. Put the mixture in a piping bag fitted with the biggest star tip you have and pipe rounds or rings onto the baking sheets
  5. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown.
  6. Cool on a  rack, not on the baking sheet.

Sables

200g plain flour
80g icing sugar
pinch salt
3 egg yolks
130g unsalted butter, cold & diced
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg beaten, to glaze

Mix the flour, sugar and butter to a ‘fine sand’ then add the egg yolks to make a firm dough. chill for 15 mins in the fridge.

Roll out to 5mm thick, and cut to rounds with a fluted cutter. place on a baking sheet and brush with egg. chill for 15 mins. brush again and nake at 180˚c for12 mins

Brandy snaps

Makes 12

50g butter
50g caster sugar
30ml golden syrup
50g plain flour
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1tsp brandy
150ml double cream – whipped for filling

Preheat the oven to 180˚c + line 2-3 baking sheets (ptfe sheets are best – these things can get sticky)

Heat the butter, sugar and syrup in a pan until mixed. Remove from the heat and stir in the flour and ginger.

put small spoonfuls of the mix onto baking sheets, 10cm apart (they spread). Bake for 7 mins until bubbling. Take them out of the oven, and roll the soft disc around a wooden spoon handle to make the tubes. Once they’re a little firmer, slide off the spoon and onto a cooling rack.

Fill with the whipped cream when they’re cool. yum.