Torcettini de Saint Vincent Biscuits

Origin: Italian

These have a nice subtle lime taste that matches very nicely with a nice hot cup of tea for the fall or for the winter. The outside it crunchy and the inside is soft and light.

Enjoy these treats as much as as I did, because these are great anytime of the day. These biscuits have no sugar added into the dough, but instead only on the outside to add a little hint of sweetness with every bite.

Makes about: 24 biscuits

Takes about: 4 hours

Difficulty: 2 out of 5

Prep:

Items needed: a towel for rising, plastic wrap to cool in the fridge, and parchment paper on a cookie sheet for the bake.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup warm water - it can not be hot or cold, recommended temperature for yeast is about 110F

1 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast

1 1/2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

40 grams unsalted butter - very cold and cubed

1 teaspoon lime zest (or lemon zest)

1/3 cup sugar - for rolling dough

Instructions:

- Step 1 - Wet the Yeast

In a small bowl add 1/2 cup of warm water (about 110F) and the 1 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast and mix well.

Once mixed together, set aside until needed later.

- Step 2 - Mix Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl mix together 1 1/2 cups of flour and 1/4 teaspoon of salt until well combined,

- Step 3 - Cut in Butter

Cut the 40 grams of cold unsalted butter into small squares.

If the butter has warmed a little, place it in the freezer for a few minutes, and then place the butter into the bowl of flour and salt.

Using a fork, cut the butter into the flour and salt.

A pastry cutter or a food processor can be used to mix the butter in as well. If using the food processor, after mixing in the butter place the flour and butter mixture into a bowl to mix in the rest of the ingredients.

Step 4 - Mix Lemon in

Zest 1 teaspoon of lime zest into the dry ingredient and mix.

- Step 5 - Mix Yeast and Flour

Mix the yeast and dry ingredients until it starts to clump.

Once the dough starts to form, place it onto the counter and knead the dough slightly until it starts to turn into a ball.

- Step 6 - Form a Ball of Dough

Keep kneading the dough until it creates a nice smooth ball.

- Step 7 - Let Rise

Once the dough ball is shaped, cover it with a light layer of vegetable oil.

After the ball has been greased, grease a medium sized bowl, and then place the dough in the bowl.

Cover the bowl with a towel and let the dough rise for 1 hour.

- Step 8 - Press Air Out, Wrap in Plastic Wrap, then Refrigerate

After an hour the dough will not have grown much, but when breaking the dough apart it will have a honeycomb look on the inside.

Press all the air out of the dough, wrap in plastic wrap tightly, and then place in the fridge for an hour.

- Step 9 - Separate the Ball of Dough into 24 Equal Parts

After an hour in the fridge break the dough into 24 equal parts.

I measured my dough on a scale to confirm that each part would be about the same size (about 17-19 grams each).

- Step 10 - Shape into a Rope

Shape each individual ball into an 7-8 inch rope.

I shaped all the balls into ropes before rolling them into the sugar because the sugar step can get pretty messy.

- Step 11 - Roll in Sugar

Place a 1/3 cup of sugar on a flat surface; either the counter, plate, or cutting board.

Roll each rope into the sugar until completely covered.

- Step 12 - Twist

Twist the rope with one end over the other, like the picture below.

- Step 13 - Place on Baking Sheet

Place the twisted biscuits 2 inches apart onto a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

- Step 14 - Cover and Let Rise

Cover the biscuits with a towel and let rise for another 20-30 minutes.

15 minutes before the biscuits are done rising preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

- Step 15 - Bake

Once the biscuits have risen and the oven has preheated, place the biscuits into the oven for 25 minutes, or until they are golden brown.

The sugar crystals should still be on the biscuits after they come out of the oven, but it is alright if they have flaked off.

- Step 16 - Cool

Let the biscuits cool on the cookie sheet completely before taking them off.

- Step 17 - Enjoy

Once these beautiful biscuits are done, enjoy them with a lovely cup of tea or coffee.

I found this recipe on "Baking Obsession." This recipe helped create the foundation of the biscuits I made above, but I changed a few steps and directions.