Biscotti Regina Veloce
Viscotta ca Giuggiulena·(vee-SCOT-tah cah joo-joo-LAY-nah)
Weekend Bakery Box: Sunday Sweets and Cookie Tins
If you grew up in a Sicilian-American household, the smell of toasting sesame is permanently etched into your memory. Biscotti Regina are the ultimate representation of old-world baking. They aren't cloyingly sweet; instead, they rely on a humble, deeply savory crust of seeds wrapped around a lemon-scented shortbread that shatters perfectly when dunked into black coffee. Frank Sinatra used to order these by the box from New York, demanding they be baked a little on the burnt side. This fast version trades traditional lard and baker's ammonia for accessible supermarket staples, recreating that exact nostalgic crunch without a specialty grocery run.
Ingredients
- unbleached all-purpose flour3 1/2 cup
- granulated sugar3/4 cup
- baking powder1 tbsp
- fine sea salt1/2 tsp
- unsalted butter1/2 cup
- vegetable shortening1/4 cup
- large egg1 large
- whole milk1/4 cup
- pure vanilla extract1 tsp
- fresh orange or lemon zest1 tbsp
- sesame seeds1 1/2 cup
- milk or water1/4 cup
Method
- 01
Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- 02
Cut the cold butter and shortening into the flour mixture.
Use your fingertips or a pastry blender to rub the fats into the flour until it resembles coarse, wet sand. Tiny pebbles of fat are what make the cookie crisp, so do not overwork it.
- 03
Incorporate the wet ingredients to form a soft dough.
Make a well in the center and add the egg, milk, vanilla extract, and citrus zest. Gently pull the flour into the wet center and knead just until a pliable dough forms, adding a splash more milk if it feels too dry.
- 04
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least thirty minutes.
This crucial resting phase allows the flour to hydrate and the fats to re-solidify so the cookies hold their shape in the oven.
- 05
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Set up a coating station with a shallow bowl containing a splash of milk or water, and a separate dish filled with the sesame seeds.
- 06
Roll handfuls of dough into ropes about the thickness of your thumb.
Cut the ropes into small pieces about one and a half inches long.
- 07
Moisten the dough pieces and coat them heavily in sesame seeds.
Lightly wet your hands with the milk or water, roll the dough pieces to make them tacky, and drop them directly into the seeds. Press gently to ensure every side is completely encrusted.
- 08
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the seeds are deeply fragrant and the cookies are golden brown.
Rotate the pans halfway through. Sinatra liked them a little burnt, so do not pull them too early if you want that authentic crunch.
- 09
Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
They will feel slightly soft when hot but will harden into their signature shatteringly crisp texture once they reach room temperature.
Notes
Swap baking powder for baker's ammonia if you want total authenticity.
Traditional Sicilian bakers use ammonium carbonate to achieve an explosive, unparalleled crunch. If you can find it online, substitute the baking powder with two teaspoons of baker's ammonia. Don't be alarmed by the strong smell during baking; it dissipates completely.
Mix a little fine semolina into the dough for a more rustic texture.
To mimic the island's locally milled wheat, you can swap a half cup of the all-purpose flour for fine semolina flour.