From Tuscany with Love

Cantucci are dry by design. Their crisp texture comes from a centuries-old double baking process, first traced back to Ancient Rome, when a lightly toasted bread called cantellus was baked twice to preserve it for long military campaigns. The double baking process starts with long loaves that are baked until lightly golden and set, the loaves are then removed from the oven and sliced diagonally while still warm. The second baking removes excess moisture, giving the biscuit its characteristic firmness, perfect for dipping.

“The double bake creates something more important than preservation,” Arianna explains. “The biscuit softens slightly when immersed in Vin Santo, releasing the aroma of toasted almonds and caramelised sugar while still holding its shape.”

For Arianna, the cantucci carries cherished memories. Childhood Easters in Tuscany were never simply meals, they were days of preparation, shared labour, and quiet anticipation.

In the weeks leading up to Easter, her family would fill the house with activity: rolling pasta by hand, kneading anise bread, baking cakes and biscotti in generous quantities. Trays were assembled not just for family, but for neighbours and friends. “Those moments were never just about food,” she says. “They were about rhythm, patience, and belonging. The slow unfolding of celebration, shaped by hands working together.”

On Easter morning, the family tradition continued. After blessing boiled eggs at church, the table would be set with Schiaccia di Pasqua, chocolate and almond cantucci alongside a small glass of Vin Santo. The dipping of the biscuit is a ritual in itself: deliberate, measured, and communal. Even as the world moves faster, it is a reminder of the small, slow acts that make celebration meaningful.

Cantucci have travelled far since their origins in Roman times. They became staples among rural families, refined by Caterina de’ Medici with peeled almonds, and revived in the 19th century by pastry chef Antonio Mattei, whose recipe earned recognition at the 1867 Universal Exposition in Paris where it was met with considerable appreciation and recognition in Italy and Europe. Today, the original recipe is widespread throughout Tuscany, and cantucci are the pride of bakeries and biscuit factories throughout the region.

Arianna reflects on this continuity. “In Tuscany, Easter traditions vary from province to province, but the cantuccio is always present. It is not simply a biscuit. It is part of the ritual, a way to end a meal without being too rich or heavy.”

“I continue to use my family’s heritage recipe for cantucci, using the same proportions and method passed down through generations. My mother used to say that if the almonds in the dough stay perfectly in place, you are doing something wrong. They should be abundant and almost rebellious, pushing through the surface”

Tasting the biscuits Arianna sent, I am struck by how a simple act of dipping cantucci into wine can make us pause and connect. The conversation pauses as we keep a watchful eye on the dip, our eyes widening and heads nodding in approval as we taste that first bite of sweet almond and a hint of Tuscan summer.