Esse di Raveo

Name: Esse di Raveo
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Friulana
Ingredients: 250 g Plain flour; 125 g Unsalted butter; 100 g caster sugar; 2 Egg yolks; 0.5 tsp lemon zest; 0.5 tsp Vanilla extract; 1 pinch Fine sea salt; 1 tbsp Whole milk

Esse di Raveo are traditional S-shaped Friulian shortbread biscuits from the Alpine village of Raveo in Carnia, rich with butter and egg yolks.

🇮🇹Italy· Friuli Venezia Giulia

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 35 min
Servings: 6
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 290 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

250 g Plain flour — type 00 flour or all-purpose flour
125 g Unsalted butter — softened at room temperature, ideally high-fat Alpine butter
100 g caster sugar — fine white sugar
2 Egg yolks — from large free-range eggs
½ tsp lemon zest — finely grated from an unwaxed lemon
½ tsp Vanilla extract — pure vanilla extract
1 pinch Fine sea salt — to balance the richness
1 tbsp Whole milk — only if dough requires extra moisture to bind

Equipment

•Baking sheet
•Baking parchment
•Mixing bowl
•Wire rack
•Microplane grater

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 290 kcal
fat: 15 g
carbs: 36 g
fibre: 1 g
protein: 4 g
calories: 290 kcal

Instructions

1
Beat the softened butter and caster sugar together in a bowl until pale and creamy.
2
Add the egg yolks, lemon zest, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt to the butter mixture.
3
Stir briskly until the wet ingredients are thoroughly combined and glossy.
4
Sift the plain flour directly into the bowl over the creamed mixture.
5
Work the dough quickly with your fingertips until it gathers into a smooth, cohesive ball.
6
Wrap the dough tightly and rest it in the refrigerator for thirty minutes.
7
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C and line a baking sheet with parchment.
8
Divide the chilled dough into walnut-sized pieces and roll each into a thin log.
9
Shape each dough log into an S form directly on the prepared baking sheet.
10
Bake for twelve to fifteen minutes until the biscuit edges turn pale golden.
11
Transfer the delicate biscuits onto a wire rack to cool completely and crisp up.

Chef's tips

Use the best quality butter available, as it provides the primary flavour and short texture. Do not overwork the dough once the flour is added, or the biscuits will lose their melt-in-the-mouth tenderness. Chill the shaped biscuits on the tray for ten minutes before baking so they retain their crisp S shape in the oven.

Ingredient substitutions

lemon zest → a pinch of ground cinnamon for a warmer Alpine spiced profile
caster sugar → granulated sugar blitzed briefly in a blender until fine

Storage

Store the cooled biscuits in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to two weeks.

Reheating

Reheating is not recommended; serve at room temperature to preserve the delicate crumb.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Over-baking the biscuits until browned, which makes them dry instead of buttery and tender.
•Using melted butter instead of softened butter, which ruins the dough structure.
•Skipping the chilling step, which causes the S shapes to spread and flatten during baking.

Serving suggestions

Serve alongside a hot espresso or a pot of black tea for breakfast.Offer as a light dessert paired with a glass of sweet Friulano Verduzzo wine.Enjoy as an afternoon treat with a glass of cold mountain whole milk.