prep
30 minutes
cook
25 minutes
difficulty
Easy
preparation
30
minutes
cooking
25
minutes
difficulty
Easy
level
"I was inspired by the version with almond meal and cinnamon described by Marchesa Eta Polesini in her book about what she serves her guests with tea. She calls them buzolai, the word buzo (or buso) being the dialect word for 'hole'. She suggests adding acquavite (which literally means 'water of life', but is actually grappa, a grape distillate) to the dough, and dipping them in more acquavite after cooking. This would impart quite a strong taste, which I love, but I have suggested rum in its place. And in terms of dipping, tea or coffee would be lovely."
Ingredients
- 160 g plain flour
- 1 scant tsp baking powder
- 140 g (1⅓ cups) almond meal
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- sea salt
- 140 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 70 g caster sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 30 ml white rum
- zest of 1 lemon
For dusting
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp caster sugar
These will keep for up to 1 week in an airtight container.
Resting time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Instructions
- Place the flour, baking powder, almond meal and cinnamon in a large bowl with a good pinch of salt. Whisk briefly to combine and remove any lumps. Set aside.
- Cut the butter roughly and place in the bowl of an electric stand mixer with the whisk attached. Add the sugar and beat on medium speed for a few minutes, until well combined and creamy. Drop in the egg yolk, rum and lemon zest and briefly beat to combine. Swapping the whisk for a large spoon, stir in the dry ingredients in batches, mixing until well combined. Transfer the dough to an airtight container and allow to rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line two baking trays with baking paper.
- Place the extra cinnamon and sugar on a small plate and stir until combined.
- Break off 30 g balls (about the size of small apricots) from your rested dough. Roll into ropes about 13 cm long, then bring the ends together, to make rings. If the dough is too soft to roll properly, put it in the fridge for another 15 minutes or so.
- Dip each ring in the cinnamon sugar and place on the trays, with the dusted side facing up. Place the trays in the fridge for about 10 minutes, so the uncooked biscuits can firm up a bit.
- Bake, in batches if needed, for 22 minutes, or until lightly coloured underneath. Allow to cool for a few minutes before removing from the trays, as the biscuits are somewhat fragile when warm, but firm up as they cool down.
Istria: Recipes and stories from the hidden heart of Italy, Slovenia and Croatia by Paola Bacchia, published by Smith Street Books (RRP $55.00). Photography by Paola Bacchia.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
"I was inspired by the version with almond meal and cinnamon described by Marchesa Eta Polesini in her book about what she serves her guests with tea. She calls them buzolai, the word buzo (or buso) being the dialect word for 'hole'. She suggests adding acquavite (which literally means 'water of life', but is actually grappa, a grape distillate) to the dough, and dipping them in more acquavite after cooking. This would impart quite a strong taste, which I love, but I have suggested rum in its place. And in terms of dipping, tea or coffee would be lovely."
