Tozzetti with Hazelnuts Recipe for Italian Delicious Dry Biscuits
Tozzetti with hazelnuts is a crunchy, delicious dry biscuit typical of Lazio cuisine.
However, there are several variations of these Tozzetti with hazelnuts biscuits in the centre-south of Italy, from Tuscany to Calabria, each slightly different from the other, depending on what's available to use.
For example, in Tuscany, these are called Cantucci and are made with almonds, which are locally grown. This one is made with hazelnuts, a popular crop in the Lazio region, particularly around Viterbo, where my grandmother was originally from.
DID YOU KNOW? The etymology of the word "Biscotti" in Italian is Bis (twice) and Cotti (cooked), so BIS-COTTI literally means COOKED-TWICE :) This is precisely what we will do to bake these Tozzetti with hazelnuts.
Preparation: 40 mins
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Servings for: 8 people
The preparation for these Tozzetti with hazelnuts is fairly Quick and Simple
You only need eggs, sugar, flour, toasted hazelnuts, butter, baking powder, and grated lemon zest. The traditional Italian way of serving Tozzetti with hazelnuts is after a meal with a glass of sweet wine, to the delight of your guests. They can also become a delicious Christmas gift idea. But here's how to prepare them.
You Only Need a few relatively cheap Ingredients to make Tozzetti with hazelnuts
FLOUR 00: 250 g
ALREADY PEELED HAZELNUTS: 130 g
SUGAR: 120 g
MELTED BUTTER: 50 g
EGG: 2
BAKING POWDER FOR CAKES: 1/2 sachet
GRATED LEMON ZEST: 1/2 (you can replace this with lemon extract)
FINE SALT: 1 pinch
Before you start making your Tozzetti with hazelnuts, there are a couple of important notions to consider
To get the best flavour, the hazelnuts must be toasted.
You can buy them already toasted or get the normal ones and toast them in the oven. In this case, the time for this recipe will increase to allow this extra step.
I usually buy hazelnuts without skin, as I found the skin to add a slightly bitter taste to the Tozzetti.
The hazelnuts must be cooled down before using them in the dough, or will melt the butter.
How to Prepare Tozzetti with hazelnuts
Toast the hazelnuts (if you haven't bought them toasted already) in a pan or the oven (I normally buy the one without skin as it adds a bitter taste to the Tozzetti).
Once ready, let them cool and chop them coarsely.
In a bowl, mix the eggs with the sugar, adding the melted butter and the grated lemon zest. Add the chopped hazelnuts to the mixture and mix, gradually incorporating the sifted flour, baking powder, and salt.
Knead until the dough is soft and compact. Divide it into four parts and form cylinders. Arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake in an oven, pre-heated at 180°C for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove the Tozzetti from the oven and cut them evenly.
Lay the slice on the tray and cook for another 10 minutes at 180°C.
Once ready, let them cool off, or they will crumble.
Your Tozzetti with hazelnuts is ready to be enjoyed.
A few Additional Information about this Tozzetti with hazelnuts recipe
The traditional recipe from Viterbo calls for lard instead of butter, but you can also make them with extra virgin olive oil or butter for a lighter preparation.
You can also enrich the Tozzetti with chocolate chips or cocoa powder. As with everything in the world of backing, you can express yourself by adjusting the recipe to suit your personal preference. However, in this case, I like them simple, as my grandma was used to making them.
For these sweets, preferably use the round hazelnut, typical of the province of Viterbo, but you can choose the variety of hazelnuts you prefer or that you have available.
Serve your Tozzetti with Vin-santo or my favourite Passito di Pantelleria or with any other sweet wine of your choice, however, strow-wine or ice wine works particularly well with them..