Can you really? I so can-tu-cci
October 12, 2007 
Cantucci: famous tuscan almond biscotti
The last couple of weeks (or maybe months) have been pretty crazy, not just workwise but socially. I seem to be meeting a whole bunch of cool people every week. The obligatory ‘So what do you do in life?’ question crops up within 2/3 minutes of the first conversation. I usually say I bake biscuits, makes things a lot simpler (telling people you’re a food stylist, always involves a lengthy explanation). Then comes the ‘Can you make xxx?’ ‘Yes’ ‘Can you really?’ …and a demand of some proof of some sort.
All this socialising networking (it’s all about who you know, darrrrrrling) has had a few other side effects (less sleep, more make-up to put on in the morning) meaning I’ve resulted into drinking a coffee or two (normally I’m ‘a cup of tea’ gal) to keep me going during the day.
Now for me, a perfect cup of coffee (or tea, even a hot chocolate) must include some kind of dunkable biscuit (here’s a past recipe). And no, you don’t want some kind of pathetic biscuit which will give up on you half way through being dunked. ‘Cantucci’ or often mistakenly called ‘Biscotti’ (which is the general Italian word for biscuit) are perfect dunking biscuits. Crisp and crunchy before ‘the dip’ they handle any kind of liquid well.
If the thought of baking these little dunkable darlings is too much to handle. Pop by La Cocotte. The cantucci go by the name of ‘Biscocotti’ and are sold at 1.50€ a packet .
Don’t forget to vote for your favourite Stop the traffik chocolate entry. Deadline is Tuesday 16th October.
P.S. The absolutely awful pun (I know they are getting worse and worse. I will stop, honest!) is dedicated to a fellow foodie blogger I just met. Who knows, you might see a food blog cook/bake off in the near future.
Dulce de leche cantucci
270g plain flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
140g sugar
180g blanched almonds
3 eggs
200g Dulce de leche
Mix together all the ingredients apart from the Dulce de leche. Then roll out the dough and spread Dulce de leche on top leaving an 1 inch border. Roll into a sausage (this can be quite messy). Bake at 160°c 30-40mins. Leave to cool. Cut 5mm slices and bake 10-15 minutes or until biscuits are crispy and dry. Makes 40-50
Recette en français
Cantucci de dulce de leche
270 g de farine
1 ½ c. à café de levure chimique
140 g de sucre
180 g de amandes entiers
3 oeufs
200 g Dulce de leche
Mélanger tous les ingrédients sauf que le Dulce de leche. Ensuite, étaler la pâte et mettre le Dulce de lait sur le dessus laissant 3cm d’une frontière. Roulez la pâte dans une saucisse (ça peut être un peu difficile). Cuire à 160 ° C 30 – 40mins. Laisser refroidir. Couper en tranches de 5mm et cuire 10-15 minutes ou jusqu’à ce que les biscuits sont croquants et sec. 40-50 pièces.
R khooks 
How delicious!
Mmm, I love making biscotti! You’re right–homemade biscotti are so much much much better than than store bought, where they either crumble if you so much as breathe on them, or worse, require a hammer and chisel to eat. I’ll have to try your recipe! I love dulce de leche!
I almost gagged at the title of this entry– you know that slight I cheese-grater-stuck-in-throat kind of feeling when you swallow a whole UNDIPPED (!) cantucci. Being fatigued from socializing last week, I never managed to submit anything to “stop the traffik” (sorry)… but funny enough I had actually set my mind on cantucci (italian for “cookie” which is british for “biscotti”, which is often confused with “biscuit”) as my recipe and I got as far as buying the chocolates. Having never baked, I figured it was the one thing that stands oven-abuse (how hard could it be to over-bake what you’re baking twice anyway)!? Anyway with the dulce de leche it sounds very yummy. If you let me taste, we’ll call it a truce 😉
Alright you’re on Shota. I’ll be making fresh biscocotti on Tuesday. Pop by for a cuppa and some biscocotti, if you can.
Julie – Yeah, it is difficult to find biscotti which isn’t a brick or super fragile. Let me know how your dlc biscotti turn out.
Linda – My boss at La Cocotte is addicted to the stuff. It’s that delish!
Combining dulce de leche and cantucci soundls like a great idea, I never thought of it…maybe it’s just that I’m Italian and so I would more likely pair cantucci with Vinsanto!Anyway will try those :)thanks a lot!
Yum – its the dulce de leche part that has sold this to me (though I daredn’t have it in the house very often cos I always scoff the lot!)
What a great cookie and great combo of flavors! These past 3 months have been a whirlwind of house guests and socializing and I am sorry I was not able to participate in your great event. You did get some great entries!