Cantucci

Makes ca. 20

Ingredients

400 g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder (or 1 tsp cr. tartar, ½ tsp bicarb.)
85 g unsalted butter
200 g sugar
3 large eggs
50 g hazelnuts (or almonds)
2 tsp aniseed (or zest of one orange)

Method

Lightly toast the nuts & aniseed. Roughly chop (or leave whole) the nuts leaving the skins on for flavour. Roughly grind the aniseed. Sift the flour and raising agent into a spare bowl. In a baking bowl, cream the butter and sugar until just well-mixed then mix in the eggs one-by-one reserving 1 tbsp of white for glazing. Add the aniseed or zest, the nuts and flour mix, and work with a spoon until just mixed.

Oil a baking sheet and your hands then divide the dough roughly in two. Shape each portion into a log 40-50 mm (2”) thick by rolling between the hands. Place on the baking sheet, flatten slightly, then brush with the beaten egg white and bake at 180 °C until golden (20-30 min).
Reduce the oven to 160 °C, cool the logs for five minutes then cut diagonally with a sharp knife into 15 mm (½″) slices. Bake again on both sides until lightly browned (10 – 15 min. each side).

Added by: davidturton