January 18, 2022

Chocolate Cantuccini with Maple Pecans

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These incredible Chocolate Cantuccini with Candied Pecans are as perfect with a glass of sweet wine, as in Tuscany, as with a strong cup of coffee.

Cantuccini are a traditional Italian cookie that gets it’s signature crunch from being baked twice. They are dry and crisp and prepared without the addition of any butter or oil. This crunch makes them perfect for dipping in espresso, cappuccino, or sweet wine as they do in Tuscany. These cookies are traditionally made simply with flour, salt, eggs, and almonds or hazelnuts. This recipe expands on this beautifully simple cookie.

I added semi sweet chocolate and Dutch process cocoa to these cantuccini because I love chocolate covered nuts. Something about the taste of nuts combined with chocolate makes the dessert more savoury, and the chocolate less sweet. Because of this, I find desserts that combine chocolate and nuts somewhat addictive. After all, is there anything better than salty and sweet together?

These incredible Chocolate Cantuccini with Candied Pecans are as perfect with a glass of sweet wine, as in Tuscany, as with a strong cup of coffee. Dutch Process Cocoa adds additional depth to these cookies, while the almond extract adds a lovely bitterness. Maple pecan chunks add some crunch, while semi sweet chocolate chips add a creamy sweetness which perfectly compliments the rest of the flavours in this perfectly crispy cookie.

TOTAL TIME

Preparation Time – 20 minutes
Cooking Time – 40 minutes
Total Time – 1 hour

INGREDIENTS

The ingredients for these delicious Chocolate Cantuccini with Maple Pecans are each to source from any grocery store.

2/3 cup White Sugar
2 Large Eggs
1 tsp Almond Extract
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Fine Sea Salt
1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
1/4 cup Dutch Process Cocoa Powder
2/3 cup Pecans
1/2 cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

ARE BISCOTTI THE SAME AS CANTUCCINI?

Biscotti is the generic term for cookie, and means twice baked in Italian. Cantuccini and cantucci are nut studded cookies that originated in Tuscany, and are what we in North America call biscotti.

WHAT IS ALMOND EXTRACT?

Almond extract is made from Almonds, alcohol and water. It is a bitter, and intensely flavourful additive for baking.

DO I HAVE TO BAKE MY COOKIES TWICE?

Absolutely. Baking cantuccini twice is integral to creating their crisp and crunchy texture.

WHY DO I NEED TO CUT MY COOKIES WHILE WARM?

I find if I cut my cantuccini while warm they won’t crumble as much, and cut cleaner.

DO CANTUCCINI STAY FRESH LONGER THAN REGULAR COOKIES?

Cantuccini will remain delicious at room temperature for several weeks because they are so dry. To ensure they maintain their delicious flavour, simply store them in an airtight container.

WHY ARE CANTUCCINI SO CRUNCHY AND HARD?

These cookies have no oil or fat and are baked twice, making them dry, crisp, and crunchy.

CAN I MAKE MY CANTUCCINI SOFTER?

Cantuccini are meant to be crunchy, however if you want to make them slightly softer you could bake them for less time after they are sliced. A few minutes would likely make all the difference.

DO I HAVE TO CANDY THE PECANS?

You do not have to mix the pecans with maple syrup, however they will be quite bitter.

WHAT IS DUTCH PROCESS COCOA?

This type of cocoa is processed by an alkalizing agent that reduces the natural acidity of the cocoa and, in doing so, it’s bitterness.

WHAT IS SEMI SWEET CHOCOLATE?

Semi sweet chocolate has a high cacao content, making it a rich and intense flavour.

HOW DO I EAT MY CANTUCCINI?

Cantuccini are traditionally eaten dipped in either sweet wine or strong coffee. These delicious morsels are perfect in either.

INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS

CAN I MAKE THIS RECIPE GLUTEN FREE?

It’s very easy to make these cantuccini gluten free: simply use all Almond flour.

CAN I USE MILK CHOCOLATE INSTEAD OF SEMI SWEET?

If you’d prefer you can use milk chocolate chips instead of semi sweet, but the result will be much sweeter.

CAN I USE SOMETHING OTHER THAN MAPLE SYRUP TO CANDY THE PECANS?

Honey would also work nicely to candy the pecans.

IS THERE A SUBSTITUTE FOR ALMOND EXTRACT?

If you cannot use almond extract, you can substitute lemon juice or vanilla. Both will change the flavour of the cantuccini, but the cookies will still be delicious.

CAN I MAKE THIS RECIPE DAIRY FREE?

If you’d like to make these cantuccini dairy free, simply use vegan chocolate chips.

CAN I USE A DIFFERENT NUT?

Absolutely. Traditional cantuccini would use almonds or hazelnuts. Pistachios would also be delicious.

CAN I USE ARTIFICIAL ALMOND EXTRACT?

Artificial extract tastes artificial. It is slightly less expensive, but not worth sacrificing the flavour of your cantuccini (biscotti). Always use real extract.

EQUIPMENT FOR CHOCOLATE CANTUCCINI WITH MAPLE PECANS

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Below is a list of the main equipment/kitchen tools needed to make these Chocolate Cantuccini.

Kitchen Aid Mixer – You can certainly make these cookies by hand if you don’t own a mixer, but the batter is very thick and sticky and will be hard to stir by hand. I highly recommend purchasing a good mixer if you are able to do so. I adore my Kitchen Aid Professional mixer. It can handle even the heaviest of batters with ease. In addition, it has a large 6.6 L bowl which is convenient for making large quantities of cookies.

Parchment Paper – I highly recommend lining your cookie sheets with parchment paper to ensure they don’t stick. Paper Chef is my favourite brand, and comes in a large format roll that is easy to cut to any size.

Baking Sheet

Kitchen Knife

COOKING DIRECTIONS

These Chocolate Cantuccini with Maple Pecans are simple to make, and the entire recipe can be prepared in one bowl. A few tips will ensure perfect cookies every time:

Use only good quality almond extract and chocolate.
Slice your cantuccini while warm before baking the second time.
Be patient and bake your cantuccini twice until crispy.

MAKE AHEAD STORAGE

There is nothing that can be prepared in advance for these cookies.

These cantuccini can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for several weeks.

FINISHED DISH

Enjoy these Chocolate Cantuccini with Maple Pecans.

OTHER BISCOTTI

Dipped Chocolate Almond Biscotti

Almond Flour Biscotti

OTHER DESSERTS WITH CHOCOLATE

Chocolate Mud Cupcakes

Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Rods

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

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