Biscotti in America, Cantucci or Biscotti di Prato, in Italy, these almond cookies are a nutty, slightly sweet, definitely crunchy treat. But as we’ll find out, in Italy they eat them totally differently – with wine!
In this video we’ll discuss the Roman history of the biscotti – twice-baked cookie, and how a linguistic shift following the UK term “biscuit” created the need for a new name, Cantucci. We’ll also talk about the need for twice baking to help dry out the Cantucci, which will give it the shelf life needed to survive long marches, sea journeys, or forgetting they’re in the cupboard.
We’ll also be creating two recipes for this episode! One based on an older, more roman style with no leavening agent or butter, just pine nuts and almonds which is similar to what Amando Baldanzi found and Antonio Mattei used in his classic recipe. Then we’ll look at a more modern variation, using butter, baking soda, and some dried fruit and extracts.
In the end, we’ll talk about the biggest difference in how the people in the US eat their biscotti versus Italy – with coffee or wine! Often paired with vin santo, or Holy Wine, cantucci add an earthy element to a sweet drink and become soft enough to chew. But, of course, you are free to pair with whatever you enjoy most!
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Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
00:23 Ingredients
01:06 Fun Fact: History
02:26 Make the original cantucci
03:39 Fun fact: Science! Why the second bake?
04:51 Original cantucci, second bake
05:22 Fun fact: Modernization
06:57 Make the more modern cantucci!
07:58 Closing… dip the cantucci
9 Comments
The concept of trying this with wine is blowing my mind. I will try this immediately!!
Are there any ingredients you'd recommend to add into the cantucci that would especially pair with wine?
Your videos are so good, I just love all of the background information. It is wonderful. And, yes, this time you tossed in a couple of double entenres again for good measure. Thank you so much for sharing all of this with us. We love it.
Thank you so much for putting the measurements in mass rather than volume! It’s so much easier to consistently measure grams/ounces than cups. But also, don’t you tell me how I can eat my biscuits! 🤣❤️
Bravo! 😁
Very insightful Bob. Now, to answer your question, a true gentleman will never tell where he dips his biscuit 🙂
How to eat biscotti search….don't care how to make it
Thank you! I learned!
This was so much fun. Did a great job. I especially love including all the "Whys" along the way and of course the history. Delights my super active inner two year old.
While I was more looking for the "Hows" of eating them (Dearest friend recently discovered dipping into coffee which I now love—-beats the heck out of trying to gnaw through what I formerly thought was a purposeless and pleasureless tooth and jaw breaker), I enjoyed this really neat, well-produced vidoe. Nice D & D T also.
Very well-done. Can vin santo be different colors?