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Biscotti a Esse (Italian S-Shaped Cookies)
Esse-shaped cookies are a true classic of Italian pastry. You can find them in every bakery across Italy, often enjoyed for breakfast or as a sweet afternoon treat.Many regions claim to have invented them, from Friuli in the North to Sicily in the South. The most famous are the Esse cookies from Monreale, near Palermo, and the Squisiti from Modica, also in Sicily. In Friuli, the Esse di Raveo are equally beloved. In truth, these cookies are baked all over Italy, each region giving them a slightly different touch.
Ingredients
- 140 g unsalted butter, at room temperature - 10 tablespoons
- 115 g powdered sugar - 1 cup
- 1 vanilla bean - or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- lemon zest from 1 lemon
- 220 g all-purpose flour - 1 ¾ cups
- 2 medium eggs yolks - at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 100 g dark chocolate - 3 ½ oz, for dipping
Instructions
Make the Dough
- Place the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
- Add the powdered sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla. If you’re using a vanilla bean, slice it open and scrape out the seeds; otherwise, use a teaspoon of vanilla extract.
- Whip everything together on medium speed until the mixture becomes light, creamy, and fluffy. This step gives the dough its soft and airy texture, typical of whipped shortcrust pastry.
- Stop the mixer and fold in the grated lemon zest and a pinch of salt using a spatula. Mix well to combine.
- Gradually add the sifted flour, a little at a time, stirring gently. The dough should remain soft and not too firm. If it becomes difficult to mix with the spatula, you can briefly switch to the dough hook for about one minute, just until fully incorporated.
- Transfer the dough into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip (about ⅜ inch / 9 mm)
Shape the Esse Cookies
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pipe out S-shaped cookies (biscotti a esse) about 5-6 cm (2 inch) long. Space them well apart to prevent sticking.
- Refrigerate for about 30 minutes before baking. This step helps the cookies keep their perfect shape and makes them extra crisp on the outside.
Bake, Dip and Serve
- Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F). Bake the cookies for about 15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let them cool completely.
- Melt the dark chocolate in a double boiler. When the cookies are completely cool, dip one end of each Italian S cookie into the melted chocolate.
- Place them on a wire rack and let the chocolate set completely before serving.
- Arrange your Biscotti a Esse on a serving plate and enjoy them for breakfast with coffee, or as a sweet afternoon treat with tea or hot chocolate.
Nutrition
Serving: 100gCalories: 146kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 2gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 111mgPotassium: 42mgFiber: 1gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 200IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 8mgIron: 1mg
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