Bussolai Buranelli

Name: Bussolai Buranelli
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 43 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Veneta
Ingredients: 300 g Plain flour; 150 g Unsalted butter; 150 g caster sugar; 4 large Egg yolks; 1 whole Lemon; 1 tsp Vanilla extract; 1 pinch Fine sea salt; 1 tbsp grappa

Bussolai Buranelli are rich, golden butter and egg-yolk biscuits from the island of Burano, shaped into rings or S-curves called esse.

🇮🇹Italy· Veneto

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 18 min
Total: 43 min
Servings: 12
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 285 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

300 g Plain flour — Italian Tipo 00 preferred
150 g Unsalted butter — softened at room temperature
150 g caster sugar — fine white sugar
4 large Egg yolks — from free-range eggs
1 whole Lemon — untreated, finely zested
1 tsp Vanilla extract — pure extract or paste
1 pinch Fine sea salt — to balance sweetness
1 tbsp grappa — or dark rum

Equipment

•Baking tray
•Baking parchment
•Mixing bowl
•Zester
•Wire cooling rack

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 285 kcal
fat: 15 g
carbs: 34 g
fibre: 1 g
protein: 4 g
calories: 285 kcal

Instructions

1
Cream the softened butter and caster sugar together in a mixing bowl until pale and smooth.
2
Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition.
3
Stir in the lemon zest, vanilla extract, pinch of salt, and grappa if using.
4
Sift in the flour and mix gently until a compact, soft dough forms.
5
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly into a smooth ball.
6
Wrap the dough in cling film and chill in the fridge for thirty minutes.
7
Preheat the oven to 170°C (150°C fan) and line two baking trays with parchment.
8
Divide the dough into twelve equal pieces and roll each into a sausage fifteen centimetres long.
9
Shape half into sealed rings and shape the remaining half into curved S shapes.
10
Arrange the biscuits on the prepared baking trays, leaving three centimetres between each.
11
Bake for fifteen to eighteen minutes until pale golden at the edges but not deeply browned.
12
Transfer the biscuits to a wire rack to cool completely and firm up.

Chef's tips

Do not let the biscuits brown heavily; they should stay pale golden and buttery. If the dough feels too soft to shape, chill it for another fifteen minutes before rolling.

Ingredient substitutions

grappa → an equal quantity of dark rum or dry white wine
lemon zest → finely grated orange zest for a warm citrus aroma

Storage

Store in an airtight biscuit tin at room temperature for up to two weeks.

Reheating

These biscuits are served at room temperature and do not require reheating.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Overbaking the biscuits until dry and dark brown rather than delicate and pale golden.
•Using cold butter, which prevents the dough from coming together smoothly.
•Kneading the dough too much, resulting in a tough biscuit instead of a tender, crumbly texture.

Serving suggestions

Dip into a glass of sweet Vin Santo or Torchiato di Fregona.Serve alongside an afternoon espresso or black tea.Enjoy as a simple dessert alongside fresh berries.