Mostaccioli Calabresi

Name: Mostaccioli Calabresi
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Calabrese
Ingredients: 350 g wildflower honey; 450 g Plain flour; 0.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda; 1 tsp Ground cinnamon; 0.25 tsp ground cloves; 1 tbsp orange zest; 1 unit egg yolk; 50 g whole blanched almonds

Traditional Calabrian spiced honey biscuits, firm and aromatic, baked until deep amber and moulded into diamond lozenges or festive figures.

🇮🇹Italy· Calabria

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 20 min
Total: 45 min
Servings: 12
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 210 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

350 g wildflower honey — or orange blossom honey
450 g Plain flour — Tipo 00 or plain white
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda — leavener
1 tsp Ground cinnamon — finely ground
¼ tsp ground cloves — finely ground
1 tbsp orange zest — finely grated, unwaxed
1 unit egg yolk — beaten with 1 tsp water for glaze
50 g whole blanched almonds — for traditional decoration

Equipment

•Small saucepan
•Large mixing bowl
•Wooden spoon
•Baking sheet
•Pastry brush

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 210 kcal
fat: 2 g
carbs: 44 g
fibre: 1 g
protein: 4 g
calories: 210 kcal

Instructions

1
Warm the honey gently in a small saucepan over low heat until completely fluid and runny.
2
Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves into a large mixing bowl.
3
Stir the grated orange zest evenly through the dry flour mixture.
4
Pour the warm honey into the centre of the bowl and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon.
5
Turn the dough onto a clean surface and knead firmly until smooth, dense, and uniform.
6
Preheat your oven to 180C (160C fan) and line a baking sheet with baking parchment.
7
Shape portions of dough into diamond lozenges, thick figures, or S-shapes about one centimetre thick.
8
Press a whole blanched almond into the centre of each biscuit if desired.
9
Brush the tops lightly with the beaten egg yolk wash to give a glossy sheen.
10
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until deep golden brown and firm to the touch.
11
Transfer the biscuits to a wire rack to cool completely and harden.

Chef's tips

Warm honey keeps the dense dough pliable, so work quickly before it cools down. If the dough feels too stiff to knead, briefly warm your hands under hot water before shaping.

Ingredient substitutions

wildflower honey → chestnut honey for a darker colour and slightly bitter note
egg yolk glaze → sugar syrup brushed over the hot biscuits for an egg-free finish

Storage

Store the biscuits in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to one month.

Reheating

Do not reheat; allow to rest at room temperature or dip into a hot drink.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Overbaking the biscuits, which turns them excessively hard rather than pleasantly firm.
•Boiling the honey instead of gently warming it, which scorches the floral aromatics.