A bit of history
The word Biscotti (singular biscotto) literally means “twice-baked” (from Latin bis-coctus) — a technique originally used to create durable biscuits that could travel well, favored by the Roman legions and later travellers.
The classic Italian form, cantucci/biscotti di Prato, emerged in Tuscany – a dry almond biscuit traditionally enjoyed with the Vin Santo sweet wine.
Over time, variations spread across the Mediterranean — adding local nuts (hazelnuts, pine nuts), spices, chocolate, or citrus to reflect local tastes.
In regions like Slovenia and the northern Adriatic, baking traditions have long been shaped by a mix of Central European, Italian, Ottoman and Mediterranean influences. While the classic local sweets include items like Štruklji or Potica, the openness of domestic baking means that cookies and biscuits often borrow Italian techniques – especially in border areas or via trade and migration. For instance, Potica (also known as Putizza/Putica) shares a rolled-dough heritage with other European pastries.
A hazelnut-chocolate-lemon biscotto fits comfortably within this cross-cultural baking heritage — Italian in technique, Mediterranean in flavour palette, and naturally adoptable in Slovenian kitchens.
Vin Santo — The Wine Behind the Biscotto
Vin Santo (“holy wine”) is a traditional Italian sweet wine, most closely associated with Tuscany, though versions exist across central and northern Italy. It’s the wine classically served with cantucci (biscotti di Prato), into which the dry, twice-baked cookies are dipped before eating – a ritual as important as the dessert itself.
What gives Vin Santo its distinctive character is its unusual method of production: grapes (typically Trebbiano and Malvasia) are harvested late and then dried for weeks or months on straw mats or hanging racks – a method known as appassimento. This concentrates the sugars and aromas before fermentation even begins.
The must is then fermented and aged slowly in small wooden barrels called caratelli, often for 5–10 years, sometimes longer. Evaporation during ageing deepens the wine’s amber colour and intensifies notes of dried fig, honey, toasted nuts, caramel, and orange peel.
The result is a wine that is sweet but balanced, oxidative and nutty, silky yet structured
The name Vin Santo likely has multiple overlapping origins: It was historically used in Catholic Mass and for special religious feasts, but also some legends connect it to plague-era healing or monastic winemaking.
Even today, Vin Santo is usually served at the end of a meal, not as casual table wine, but as a closing gesture of hospitality.
Vin Santo & Biscotti: A Perfect Pair
Biscotti were originally created to be: dry, long-lasting and portable, ideal for the use of the roman legions that were on the move to protect the empire’s borders or quell unrest. Dipping them into sweet wine wasn’t an afterthought – it was the culinary logic that made them complete. The wine softens the biscuit, releases the aromas of nuts and citrus, and creates a final mouthful that blends bitterness, sweetness, and warmth.
This pairing is one of the oldest surviving dessert rituals of the western Mediterranean.
Vin Santo belongs to an old Mediterranean grammar of sweetness, dryness, and patience. The same sun-dried grape lineage as Greek Vinsanto of Santorini, Cypriot Commandaria, Ottoman-era şerbet wines and dried-grape sweet wines of Armenia and Anatolia. They all share the same preservation logic: dry the grape, intensify the sugar, slow down time.
Crunchy, and aromatic these biscotti combine nutty hazelnut, rich dark chocolate, and a bright hint of lemon for a treat that bridges sweet and slightly savoury, ideal with coffee or tea. Influenced by the Italian biscotti tradition, adapted to broader Central/ Southeastern European kitchens
Prep Time: 20 minutes
First bake: 25–30 minutes
Slice & second bake: 10–15 minutes
Total Time: ~45–50 minutes
Yield: about 24–30 biscotti (depending on slice thickness)
You will need
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 100 g ground hazelnuts (or finely chopped toasted hazelnuts)
- 80–100 g dark chocolate chunks or chopped dark chocolate
- Zest of 1 lemon (organic, or well-washed)
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- (Optional) 1–2 tablespoons milk or water — only if dough seems too dry
- Extra flour for dusting
How to make them
Preheat oven to 180 °C (350 °F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, ground hazelnuts, sugar, and lemon zest.
Make a well in the centre of the dry mix. Crack in the eggs, add vanilla extract. Stir to combine, then knead gently until you get a firm but slightly sticky dough. If too dry, add a small splash of milk or water. Fold in the chocolate chunks evenly.
On a lightly floured surface, shape the dough into a log about 30–35 cm long and 6–7 cm wide. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the loaf is lightly golden and firm to the touch. Remove from the oven, let cool for 10–15 minutes — cooling is important so slices hold together.
Using a sharp serrated knife, slice the loaf diagonally into ~1–1.5 cm thick slices. Lay the slices cut-side down (or flat) on the baking sheet. Bake for an additional 10–15 minutes, turning once halfway through, until the slices are crisp and lightly browned.
Let the biscotti cool completely on a rack. Store in an airtight container. Because they’re twice-baked and dry, they keep very well for several weeks.
- Perfect with espresso, strong coffee, or black tea.
- Also delicious with sweet wine or a glass of milk.
- For a decadent treat, dip half of each biscotto in melted dark or white chocolate and let set.
the kitchen sorcerer 