Cantuccini alle mandorle

The recipe of Cantuccini, narrow and long biscuits, is based on flour, sugar, butter and almonds (neither toasted nor skinned). The production method requires two heat treatment in the oven which allow Cantuccini to be particularly hard and dry (capable of being preserved for a long time). A formal consecration of these biscuits can be found in the dictionary of Accademia della Crusca which defined them in 1691 and their first handwritten recipe is kept in the Archivio di Stato of Prato.

In the 19th century a pastry chef of Prato, Antonio Mattei, drew up their recipe - which then turned into the typical one - and obtained several prizes across Italian and foreign fairs, as well as an honorable mention at the 1867 Paris World Exposition. Cantuccini and Vin Santo – a typical Tuscan dessert wine - it’s a perfect match.