Puglian-style short twisted wine cookies with three blanched almonds nestled in each twist and a sparkling sugar coating.
Intorchiate Pugliese
Follow the tray sizes, portions and baking intervals in the instructions below.
Allow about 149 minutes: 45 hands-on, 30 chilling or resting, 44 whole-batch cooking and 30 cooling/setting. Cooling includes tray rest. Follow the method for batch sizes and doneness cues.
Kitchen tools you’ll need
- Kitchen scale or US measures
- Mixing bowls
- Bench scraper
- Shallow coating bowl
- Two parchment-lined 13 × 18-inch baking sheets
- Cooling rack
Puglian-style short twisted wine cookies with three blanched almonds nestled in each twist and a sparkling sugar coating.
Ingredients
Optional sprinkles are for decoration and are not included in the nutrition estimate. Spice weights are approximate.
Instructions
Make the supple wine dough
- 1Make the supple wine doughWhisk wine, olive oil and the 75 g dough sugar together. Mix flour, baking powder and salt separately. Combine, then work in softened butter until the dough is smooth and pliable. Cover and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. This dough contains no egg.
Create a two-strand twist
- 2Create a two-strand twistHeat the oven to 350°F (177°C) conventional or 325°F (163°C) fan. Divide dough into 20 portions, about 28 g each. Roll each into an 8-inch rope, fold it in half into a U and cross the two arms over each other two or three times. Pinch the loose ends together. Each cookie should be a short approximately 3-inch twist with one rounded folded end, not a three-strand bread braid.
Place the almonds and sugar
- 3Place the almonds and sugarPress three whole blanched almonds into the hollows between the crossed strands of each cookie. Press the upper face lightly into the separate coating sugar, keeping the almonds visible. Arrange ten cookies on each of two lined large sheets, 1 1/2 inches apart.
Bake the twists
- 4Bake the twistsBake one sheet at a time for 18–22 minutes, allowing 44 minutes for both. The ridges should be golden and the undersides lightly browned; the almonds become pale toasted beige. Rest 10 minutes on each sheet, then transfer to a rack for 20 minutes. The twists become crumbly and crisp when cold.
Chef’s Science & Pro Tips
Ingredient science
A single folded rope produces the characteristic compact twist without a bread-style plait.
Technique & texture
Press almonds partly into the dough so they remain attached after cooling.
Finishing & serving
Butter is an explicit home choice among published versions using butter, margarine or other fats; weigh it separately from the oil.
Storage and make-ahead
| Method | How long | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature | Up to 5 days | Store fully cold twists airtight and handle gently. |
| Refrigerator | Not recommended for texture | Moisture softens the sugar coating and crumb. |
| Freezer | Up to 1 month | Freeze baked twists in a rigid airtight box with parchment between layers. |
| Make ahead | Up to 1 day | Refrigerate covered dough; soften briefly before rolling ropes. |
| Serving | After thawing | Thaw covered at room temperature and avoid compressing the almond-topped twists. |
Notes
- A single folded rope produces the characteristic compact twist without a bread-style plait. Press almonds partly into the dough so they remain attached after cooling. Butter is an explicit home choice among published versions using butter, margarine or other fats; weigh it separately from the oil. This home formula has not been kitchen-tested.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per serving calculated from ingredient weights divided by 20; required fillings and toppings included, optional decorations excluded. Brands, unused coating and actual serving size affect the estimate.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the plural Italian name?
Intorchiate pugliesi is the usual plural form. The requested display title is retained, with the standard name noted here.
Are the almonds ground into the dough?
No. This version uses three whole blanched almonds as a visible topping on every twist.
Are these just wine-ring cookies in another shape?
They share wine and oil, but this formula adds butter, uses less dough sugar, and makes almond-topped twists rather than plain rings.
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