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Canistrelli
Crunchy Corsican anise biscuits for dunking (canistrelli)
Every Corsican bakery, from Bastia to Bonifacio, stacks bags of canistrelli: thick, square-cut biscuits that are dry and crunchy outside and crumbly inside, made to be dipped in morning coffee. They come in many flavours, such as lemon, chestnut and almond, but anise seed is the classic. Traditionally the dough is mixed with dry white wine; most of the alcohol bakes off, but if you prefer none at all use apple juice with a squeeze of lemon, as the ingredient list says. With olive or sunflower oil instead of butter, they are vegan. Chef's tip: stop mixing as soon as the dough comes together; kneading makes them hard rather than crumbly.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 24
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ lb plain flour
- 7 oz caster sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tbsp anise seeds
- ¾ cup dry white wineor 140 ml apple juice and 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp granulated sugarfor coating
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan) and line two trays with baking paper.
Step 2: Mix 1 ⅛ lb plain flour, 7 oz caster sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 pinch salt and 1 tbsp anise seeds in a large bowl. Pour in ½ cup mild olive oil or sunflower oil and ¾ cup dry white wine and stir, then press with your hands until it just forms a soft dough that is not sticky.
Step 3: Press or roll the dough into a rectangle 1.5 cm thick. Cut it into diamonds or 3 × 5 cm fingers. Common mistake: rolling the dough thin; canistrelli should be thick, otherwise they bake into hard crackers.
Step 4: Press the top of each biscuit into 3 tbsp granulated sugar and set them on the trays, sugar side up, 2 cm apart.
Step 5: Bake for 20–25 minutes, swapping the trays halfway, until pale golden on top and light brown underneath. They will still feel slightly soft but firm up as they cool.
25 minStep 6: Cool on a rack. Stored in a tin, they keep for 2 weeks.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 160 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 26 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does canistrelli take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 24 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- 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 plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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