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Brutti ma buoni
Hazelnut meringue biscuits
Brutti ma buoni: Piedmont and Tuscany's "ugly but good" hazelnut meringue biscuits
"Ugly but good": the name says it all. These lumpy, irregular biscuits from Borgomanero in Piedmont and Prato in Tuscany are made by cooking whipped egg whites, sugar and toasted hazelnuts in a pan before baking, which gives them a crisp shell and a chewy centre. They are sold in paper bags at pastry shops, and Italian grandmothers make them to use up egg whites left over from custards. They are naturally gluten free. Contains nuts. Chef's tip: toast the hazelnuts until they smell deeply nutty and the skins crack; that's what gives the biscuits their flavour.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 20
Ingredients
- 7 oz hazelnuts
- 7 oz caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan). Toast 7 oz hazelnuts on a tray for 8–10 minutes, until golden. Rub off the skins in a tea towel and chop roughly. Lower the oven to 300°F (275°F fan).
10 minStep 2: Whisk 3 egg whites and 1 pinch salt to stiff peaks. Add 7 oz caster sugar a spoonful at a time, whisking, until thick and glossy. Fold in the nuts and 1 tsp vanilla extract.
Step 3: Tip into a saucepan and cook over a low heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring, until the mixture thickens, turns light brown and comes away from the sides. Common mistake: skipping this step; the biscuits spread and stay hollow.
10 minStep 4: Drop spoonfuls onto lined trays and bake for 25–30 minutes, until dry and crisp outside.
30 minStep 5: Cool on the tray. They keep in a tin for 2 weeks.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 90 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does brutti ma buoni take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 20 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of vanilla extract?
- Vanilla bean paste, same amount.
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