This twice baked biscuit from Italy is a Christmas classic in my house. Perfect to dip in coffee, hot chocolate or even mulled wine. Follow the recipe below and experiment with extra ingredients of your choice (totalling approximately 150g). Here are my two favourites, Hazelnut & Orange and Dark Chocolate, Cherry & Almond. Store in an airtight container and have them at the ready for any guests who pop around over the festive season. Alternatively, they make a perfect present placed in a cellophane bag and tied with a ribbon. Enjoy! Enjoy!
Ingredients:
250g plain flour
½ tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
50g chilled butter, cubed
150g caster sugar
150g hazelnuts
2 eggs
Zest of an orange
Extra caster sugar
MAKES 40
*Alternatively, instead of hazelnuts & orange – add 50g whole almonds, 50g dried cherries and 50g dark chocolate, chopped.
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Sieve the flour into a large bowl and add the baking powder and salt.
- Using your fingers, rub the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.
- Roughly chop the nuts and add to the flour mixture together with the sugar, eggs and orange zest (or alternative flavourings) and stir to form a dough.
- Divide the dough into two portions and place each on a lined baking tray.
- Shape each half into a log shape approximately 20cm long and flatten slightly.
- Dust with extra caster sugar and bake for 20 minutes or until golden.
- Cool for 20 minutes.
- Reduce the oven to 160°C.
- Cut each baked log into 5mm-1cm slices and spread over two baking trays.
- Return to the oven for a further 20-25 minutes or until golden.
- Cool completely and store in an airtight container.
