Cantucci is a Tuscan biscotti, and, as Martha Stewart says, this variety is also called biscotti di Prato.
A biscotti by any other name would smell as sweet.
Deepest apologies to William Shakespeare.
We were watching Martha the other night when she made these. It was an immediate – we’re making these tomorrow. Actually, it was an immediate Victor’s making these tomorrow. He’s the biscotti-maker in the house.
He used his own biscotti recipe and adapted it to the fillings Martha used on her program. His recipe is perfection, so there’s no need to use another.
Victor’s Cantucci
- 2 3/4 cups flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 cube (stick) butter
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- juice and zest of 1 orange
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
- 1/2 cup chopped dried cherries
- 1/2 cup chopped pistachios
- 1/2 cup chopped almonds
- pinch salt
Sift together dry ingredients. Cream sugar and butter, add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla, salt, orange juice, and zest. Stir in flour. Stir in fruits and nuts.
Divide dough in half. Shape into logs. Place on greased cookie sheets and bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes.
Cool completely. Slice into 1/4 to 1/2″ slices and toast on both sides in 350° oven.
They are really good! We make a lot of biscotti in our house, but, they are more often than not, a single flavor with a single added filling. These were fun because you really taste the various add-ins – the different nuts, the cherries, the apricots – along with the orange background.
These are definitely being added to the Christmas List!