Neapolitan-style rectangular shortcrust pastries around a cocoa and sour-cherry cake-crumb filling, with a baked white glaze.
Biscotti all’Amarena
Follow the tray sizes, portions and baking intervals in the instructions below.
Allow about 190 minutes: 50 hands-on, 60 chilling or resting, 35 whole-batch cooking and 45 cooling/setting. Cooling includes tray rest. Follow the method for batch sizes and doneness cues.
Kitchen tools you’ll need
- Kitchen scale and US measures
- Mixing bowls
- Food processor
- Rolling pin
- Parchment paper
- Sharp knife
- Small piping bag
- Pastry brush
- One 13 × 18-inch baking sheet
- Cooling rack
Neapolitan-style rectangular shortcrust pastries around a cocoa and sour-cherry cake-crumb filling, with a baked white glaze.
Ingredients
Optional sprinkles are for decoration and are not included in the nutrition estimate. Spice weights are approximate.
Instructions
Make the pastry
- 1Make the pastryRub flour and cold butter together until sandy. Add sugar and salt, then whole egg, yolk and vanilla. Bring together without kneading, wrap in a flat disk and refrigerate 1 hour.
Prepare the filling
- 2Prepare the fillingProcess plain sponge cake into crumbs. Mix with 145 g sour-cherry jam, cocoa and the measured water to make a dense, moldable filling. Reserve 15 g jam for the stripes. Use fresh plain cake without cream or custard; the formula assumes the cake is already baked.
Enclose and cut
- 3Enclose and cutHeat oven to 350°F (177°C) conventional or 325°F (163°C) fan. Divide pastry and filling in half. Between parchment, roll each pastry half into a 12 × 7-inch rectangle. Place a 12-inch filling log down its length, flatten to about 2 inches wide, fold pastry over and pinch the seam. Turn seam down and cut each log into eight 1 1/2-inch lengths. Arrange all 16 on one lined 13 × 18-inch sheet with 1-inch gaps.
Glaze and bake
- 4Glaze and bakeMix powdered sugar with the pasteurized white to make a thick brushable glaze. Spread across the tops, then draw two narrow lengthwise stripes on each top with the reserved jam using a small piping bag. Bake 30–35 minutes until pastry edges are golden and glaze is dry. Rest on sheet 10 minutes, then rack-cool 35 minutes; filling remains tender.
Chef’s Science & Pro Tips
Ingredient science
A moldable filling should hold a log; a runny preserve gives leaking seams.
Technique & texture
Close the pastry under the filling so the white glazed surface stays smooth.
Finishing & serving
Make these with plain baked cake prepared in advance; do not use dairy-filled leftovers.
Storage and make-ahead
| Method | How long | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature | Up to 1 day | Keep airtight in a cool room after cooling completely. |
| Refrigeration | Up to 4 days | Keep the moist filled pastries airtight; use fresh plain cake for the filling. |
| Raw freezing | Not recommended | Prepare fresh; freeze only baked pastries for this moist filling. |
| Baked freezing | Up to 1 month | Freeze cooled pastries in a rigid airtight box with parchment. |
| Restoring | Overnight | Thaw covered in the refrigerator and serve at room temperature. |
Notes
- A moldable filling should hold a log; a runny preserve gives leaking seams. Close the pastry under the filling so the white glazed surface stays smooth. Make these with plain baked cake prepared in advance; do not use dairy-filled leftovers. This home formula has not been kitchen-tested.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per serving calculated from ingredient weights divided by 16; required fillings and toppings included, optional decorations excluded. Brands, unused coating and actual serving size affect the estimate.
THE COOKIE INDEXITALIANCHRISTMAS COOKIES
Frequently Asked Questions
Are amarena cookies cherry thumbprints?
No. This version has rectangular cut faces showing cake crumbs, cocoa and sour-cherry filling inside shortcrust.
Must I add liqueur?
No. This home version uses measured water and vanilla without liqueur.
Is the white topping applied after baking?
No. The egg-white sugar topping is baked with the pastry; let it dry fully in the oven.
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