Sicilian sesame biscuits

Sicilian sesame biscuits, known as reginelle or biscotti regina, are a traditional bake from Sicily, particularly associated with the Palermo area. They’re made from a simple dough of flour, sugar, eggs and fat, often combining butter and lard. They’re delicately sweet, crisp on the outside and quite firm, with a slightly hard texture inside. Their distinctive feature is a generous coating of fragrant sesame seeds, which gives them their characteristic flavour and crunch. You’ll find them in Sicilian bakeries and pastry shops, where they’re enjoyed as a sweet treat with morning or afternoon coffee, or served alongside dessert wine. Do give them a try!

Makes 30-35 biscuits.

Ingredients for Sicilian sesame biscuits:

• 250 g plain flour
• 50 g butter, cold
• 50 g lard, cold*
• 1 large egg
• 100 g caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking powder
• finely grated zest of ½ unwaxed lemon or orange

Additionally:

• 150 g sesame seeds, for coating
• a small bowl of water

Lightly toast the sesame seeds in a dry frying pan, stirring frequently, then set aside to cool.

Sift the flour into a bowl, add the butter and lard, then quickly chop them into the flour with a knife until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg, sugar, vanilla extract, baking powder and lemon zest. Quickly bring everything together into a dough (you can also use a food processor). Shape into a ball, wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Remove the dough from the fridge and divide it into several portions. Roll each portion into a log about 2 cm thick, then cut into pieces approximately 6 cm long. Dip each piece in water, then coat thoroughly in sesame seeds, making sure the entire surface is covered.

Arrange the biscuits on a baking tray lined with baking paper, leaving a little space between them. Bake at 180°C (fan setting) for approximately 20 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack.

*Traditional Sicilian reginelle are often made with lard, which gives them their characteristic crisp texture. Butter provides a more delicate flavour, so combining the two fats in equal proportions works particularly well.

Enjoy!