Native Italian and member of our buying team – Margherita Salvador has kindly shared her family Cantuccini recipe to pair with our delicious Tuscan Vinsanto from Vignamaggio, our exclusive producer in the heart of Chianti.
MARGHERITA’S CANTUCCINI RECIPE
I am Italian and no doubt biased, but hey, my favourite sweet wine is Vinsanto. When you want a special glass on a special occasion, Vignamaggio’s gorgeous rendition is my go-to: decadent, bold nectar!
When I have a bottle of it at home, I cannot help but make some cantuccini to savour with it. And my team loves that, as I always bring them to the office to share. What can I say? I am a true Italian mamma!
Here is my recipe, for you to try this Easter! Dip them in a glass of Vin Santo, close your eyes and dream of the Tuscan hills… I know that’s what I do!
Tip: Cantuccini are simple and delicious and they are a lovely, homemade gift – for Easter, for Christmas or simply to put a smile on a friend’s face J
Ingredients:
400 g flour
280 g sugar
2 whole eggs and 3 egg yolks
40 g butter
4 g baking powder
190 g almonds (not peeled)
1 pinch of fine salt
Preparation and baking:
Preheat the oven to 190 degrees. Toast the almonds for 3-4 minutes. Put the eggs, salt and sugar in a bowl and whisk well, until the mixture becomes light and airy. Add the butter (melted) and mix some more. Sieve in the baking powder and flour. Add the almonds. Divide the dough into 2-3 balls and make 2-3 loafs, approx. 30 cm long.
Put them on a lined baking tray and brush them with beaten egg. Bake for 20 minutes at 190 degrees. Take them out and let them cool for only a few minutes. When they are still warm (but not hot, or they’ll lose their shape, and if they are still too doughy give them another 5 minutes, every oven is different!) cut them into slices about 1cm thick, diagonally, and put them on one side. Bake for another 7 minutes. Take them out, turn them on the other side and bake for another 7 minutes or until nice and dark golden in colour.
Let them cool completely and then enjoy with a glass of Vinsanto Del Chianti Classico Vignamaggio.
They will keep in a glass jar or tin for more than a week (though they never last that long in my house!!!)