ABBRACCI

White biscuit and dark biscuit, wrapped in a tight hug, awaiting their fate to be drowned in a cup of steaming hot and frothy Cappuccino... an Italian's idea of perfect breakfast. These are one of many biscuits of 'Mulino Bianco', and a search for Abbracci took me straight to their website and the original recipe. Quite incredible that they should share their secret so openly, and I could not wait to bake them. Mine were all-butter as I don't like to use Margarine. I saw a different recipe online that suggested to add Italian potato flour as well as '00' flour. Apparently it helps the biscuits to stay better in shape during baking. Mine stayed nicely in shape, the problem was more that they were gobbled up too quickly...  ;-)

Recipe source: Mulino Bianco

For the cream dough:

100g caster sugar

45g margarine
50g butter, at room temperature
3 Tbsp (45ml) fresh liquid cream
1 Tbsp (15ml) honey
250g '00' flour
1/2 sachet baking powder (1 tsp)
pinch of salt

For the chocolate dough:
120g caster sugar
40g margarine
60g butter, at room temperature
40g fresh milk

1 large egg

250g '00' flour
30g cocoa powder, unsweetened
1/2 sachet baking powder (1 tsp)
pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 180˚C fan.

Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature. 

Cream dough:

Beat the sugar, margarine and butter until light and fluffy. Add the cream and honey and combine well. Sift the flower, baking powder and salt together into a separate bowl. 
Add the flour mix to the cream mixture and make a smooth, firm dough.

Chocolate dough:

Beat the sugar, margarine and butter until light and fluffy. Add the milk and egg and combine well. Sift the flower, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt together in a separate bowl, then add to the cream mixture and make a smooth, firm dough. 

Important: The doughs should not be too stiff or they will crack, or too soft and sticky as they will spread too much during baking. Correct as necessary by adding a little milk or flour.

Rest:

Wrap both doughs separately into cling film and put them into the fridge for 30 min. 

Hug:

Roll each dough first into logs of 2-3 cm thickness, then cut equal size pieces and roll them into small balls. Roll each ball into a smaller log, then shape into a half moon shape, flattening both ends a bit. Attach a white and brown piece together by overlapping their ends: white over brown and brown over white. It is not necessary to press the ends together firmly as they will automatically 'hug' tightly when they start to melt during baking.

Bake:

Place the biscuits on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake in the pre-heated oven for 10-15 mins until golden brown, rotating the tray halfway through baking time. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. The Abbracci are slightly soft when just out of the oven, but will firm as they cool. 

Store: 

Store in and airtight container. Abbracci can also be frozen for later use.

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ABBRACCI

For the cream dough:

100g caster sugar

45g margarine

50g butter, at room temperature

3 Tbsp (45ml) fresh liquid cream

1 Tbsp (15ml) honey

250g '00' flour

1/2 sachet baking powder (1 tsp)

pinch of salt

For the chocolate dough:

120g caster sugar

40g margarine

60g butter, at room temperature

40g fresh milk

1 large egg

250g '00' flour

30g cocoa powder, unsweetened

1/2 sachet baking powder (1 tsp)

pinch of salt

Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature. 

1) Preheat the oven to 180˚C fan.

2) Make the Cream dough: Beat the sugar, margarine and butter until light and fluffy. Add the cream and honey and combine well. Sift the flower, baking powder and salt together into a separate bowl. 

Add the flour mix to the cream mixture and make a smooth, firm dough.

3) Make the Chocolate dough: Beat the sugar, margarine and butter until light and fluffy. Add the milk and egg and combine well. Sift the flower, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt together in a separate bowl, then add to the cream mixture and make a smooth, firm dough. 

Important: The doughs should not be too stiff or they will crack, or too soft and sticky as they will spread too much during baking. Correct as necessary by adding a little milk or flour.

4) Rest the Doughs: Wrap both doughs separately into cling film and put them into the fridge for 30 min. 

5) Shape the Abbracci: Roll each dough first into logs of 2-3 cm thickness, then cut equal size pieces and roll them into small balls. Roll each ball into a smaller log, then shape into a half moon shape, flattening both ends a bit. Attach a white and brown piece together by overlapping their ends: white over brown and brown over white. It is not necessary to press the ends together firmly as they will automatically 'hug' tightly when they start to melt during baking.

6) Bake: Place the biscuits on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake in the pre-heated oven for 10-15 mins until golden brown, rotating the tray halfway through baking time. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. The Abbracci are slightly soft when just out of the oven, but will firm as they cool. 

7) Store: Store the Abbracci in an airtight container. Abbracci can also be frozen for later use.