Cantucci e Latte
(kahn-TOO-chee eh LAH-teh)
La Merenda: The 4:00 PM After-School Ritual
If there is one recipe that proves Italian grandmothers are culinary alchemists, it is this one. Forget the tooth-shattering rocks sitting by the register at your local deli, loaded with cheap chocolate chips and vegetable oil. True Tuscan cantucci, born in Prato over a century and a half ago, use zero butter and zero oil. The secret is baker's ammonia, an old-world leavener that creates a wildly porous, honeycomb structure inside the dough. The result is a cookie that is shatteringly crisp yet incredibly tender. Make a big batch on a Sunday, and you will have an authentic piece of home ready for every afternoon merenda, meant to be dunked in a mug of warm milk just the way the old-timers intended.
Before you start
Source the right leavener.
Baker's ammonia (ammoniaca per dolci) is the non-negotiable secret to this recipe's texture. You can easily find it online, at local Greek or Middle Eastern grocers, or in specialty baking supply shops.
Ingredients
- unbleached all-purpose flour2 1/2 cup
- granulated sugar1 1/4 cup
- baker's ammonia1 tsp
- warm milk1 tsp
- fine sea salt1 pinch
- large eggs2 large
- honey1 tbsp
- organic orange1 med
- organic lemon1 med
- pure vanilla extract1 tsp
- raw unpeeled whole almonds1 1/2 cup
- egg yolk1 large
- whole milk1 tbsp
Method
- 01
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- 02
Vigorously whisk the wet ingredients and aromatics until pale and frothy.
In a large bowl, whisk the whole eggs, sugar, honey, orange zest, lemon zest, vanilla, and salt for about 3 to 5 minutes. Do not shortchange this step; dissolving the sugar is critical for the final crunch.
- 03
Dissolve the baker's ammonia and fold in the flour.
In a small dish, dissolve the baker's ammonia in the warm milk, then pour it into the egg mixture. Switch to a wooden spoon and stir in the flour just until a shaggy, rough dough forms.
- 04
Knead in the whole almonds with damp hands.
Dump the unpeeled almonds into the bowl, then turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead briefly for a minute or two to distribute the nuts. The dough will be incredibly sticky because it lacks butter—resist the urge to add more flour, which will ruin the texture. Instead, lightly wet your hands with cold water to keep things manageable.
- 05
Shape the dough into two logs.
Divide the dough in half and roll each into a log about 10 to 12 inches long and an inch and a half wide. Place them on the parchment-lined baking sheet at least 3 inches apart, gently flattening the tops.
- 06
Glaze the logs and bake for the first time.
Brush the beaten egg yolk and milk generously over the tops and sides of the logs. Bake on the middle rack for 20 to 25 minutes until puffed and deeply golden. If you smell a harsh ammonia scent when you open the oven door, do not panic—it completely evaporates during the bake.
- 07
Lower the oven temperature and let the logs rest.
Drop the oven heat to 300°F. Pull the pan out and let the logs rest for exactly 5 to 10 minutes. Timing is everything here: cut immediately and the dough squishes; wait until they are cold and the crust shatters.
- 08
Slice the warm logs on a sharp diagonal.
Transfer the warm logs to a cutting board. Using a sharp serrated bread knife, saw the logs on a 45-degree angle into 3/4-inch slices. Use a swift, confident sawing motion to slice cleanly through the whole almonds.
- 09
Bake the slices a second time to toast and dry them out.
Arrange the slices cut-side down on the baking sheet and return them to the 300°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, flipping them halfway through. They should look dry and slightly toasted.
- 10
Cool completely and serve with warm milk.
They will feel slightly soft when pulled from the oven but will harden into their signature porous, shattering texture as they cool completely on the pan. Serve at 4:00 PM with a mug of warm milk for dunking.
Notes
Can't find baker's ammonia?
If you absolutely must, substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons of standard baking powder. Because this yields a harder cookie, you will need to cheat the authenticity slightly and add 3 tablespoons of very soft room-temperature butter to the wet mix to replicate the intended friable texture.
Dealing with shattered slices or fallen almonds.
If the log shatters when you cut it, you waited too long and the sugar matrix hardened. Pop the logs back into the hot oven for 2 minutes to soften, then try again. If an almond pops out, just shove it back into the warm dough slice before the second bake.
Storage for the long haul.
Because the double bake removes all the moisture, these will keep in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to two months, making them the ultimate practical weeknight staple.
From Cook Italian in America.