EN Official Journal of the European Union C 263/4

Publication of an application pursuant to Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs

(2015/C 263/04)

This publication confers the right to oppose the application pursuant to Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1).

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘CANTUCCINI TOSCANI’ / ‘CANTUCCI TOSCANI’

EU No: IT-PGI-0005-01290 – 11.12.2014

PDO ( ) PGI ( X )

1. Name(s)

‘Cantuccini Toscani’ / ‘Cantucci Toscani’

2. Member State or Third Country

Italy

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Type of product

Class 2.3. Bread, pastry, cakes, confectionery, biscuits and other baker's wares

3.2. Description of product to which the name in (1) applies

The name ‘Cantuccini Toscani’ / ‘Cantucci Toscani’ denotes a confectionery product made by preparing a dough from flour, natural whole (unblanched) almonds, sugar, eggs, butter and honey, which is then baked. When released for consumption, they have a traditional, characteristic semi-oval shape, achieved by cutting the strips of biscuit dough diagonally after they come out of the oven, and each biscuit weighs no more than 15 grams.

The biscuits are no more than 10 cm long, 3 cm high and 2,8 cm wide, resulting from how the strips are cut after baking.

When baked the biscuits are beige on the inside with slightly irregular holes formed as the dough rises, randomly studded with unblanched almonds, while on the outside they are golden, as this was the crust of the strips.

In terms of texture, ‘Cantuccini Toscani’ / ‘Cantucci Toscani’ are slightly crunchy and feel grainy at first but then melt in the mouth because of the butter; relative moisture ranges from 3 % (minimum) to 7 % (maximum).

3.3. Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only)

The following ingredients are required to make ‘Cantuccini Toscani’ / ‘Cantucci Toscani’ dough (the quantities given refer to 1 kg of dough):

— wheat flour;

— whole (unblanched) natural almonds, with a relative moisture content of not more than 8,5 %; these must comprise at least 17 % of the dough and the quantity must be enough to ensure that once the dough is baked, this ingredient accounts for at least 20 % of the finished product;

— pasteurised hen's egg and egg yolk, with not less than 3 % yolk;

— at least 1,5 % butter;

— 20 % to 40 % caster, crystallised or granulated sugar;

— from 0,3 % to 1,5 % wildflower honey in addition to the sugar and raising agents quantum satis (q.s.).

Optional ingredients:

Glucose or invert sugar syrup (q.s.) may be used (but only at the stage when the biscuits are being baked golden), as may salt, whole milk, flavourings or natural flavourings.

The following are not permitted: other ingredients, additives, colourings, preservatives, powdered egg or egg yolk, flaked, nibbed or ground almonds.

3.4. Specific steps in production that must take place in the identified geographical area

All steps in the production of ‘Cantuccini Toscani’ / ‘Cantucci Toscani’, from the preparation of the ingredients to the baking of the strips must take place in the defined geographical area.

3.5. Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc., of the product to which the registered name refers

‘Cantuccini Toscani’ / ‘Cantucci Toscani’ are sold wrapped.

‘Cantuccini Toscani’ / ‘Cantucci Toscani’ are dry biscuits and as such they tend to absorb moisture from the external environment. They must therefore be packaged within the defined geographical area in order to prevent the absorption of moisture and to ensure that they retain the requisite organoleptic characteristics – those for which they are known and enjoyed, specifically need for them to be dipped in vin santo dessert wine ‘to soften them’.

The product may be sold direct to the consumer unpackaged on the production premises, provided that the biscuits are put in a specific box or container bearing a prominently displayed label providing the same information as that which appears on the packaging.

3.6. Specific rules concerning labelling of the product to which the registered name refers

The following must be included on the label: the name ‘Cantuccini Toscani’ / ‘Cantucci Toscani’ followed by the words ‘Protected Geographical Indication’ or the acronym ‘PGI’ and the following additional information:

— the EU Protected Geographical Indication symbol;

— the name, company/business name and address of the producer and packager;

— the product logo, and the graphics portraying the image must be used strictly in conjunction with the Protected Geographical Indication.

Labels may also feature other optional information to assist the consumer and/or nutritional information, as well as company names and trademarks, provided that these elements do not have laudatory purport and are not such as to mislead the purchaser. The percentage of almonds the product contains may also be indicated on the packaging.

Product logo:

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

The production area for ‘Cantuccini Toscani’ / ‘Cantucci Toscani’ comprises the entire area within the administrative boundaries of the Region of Tuscany.

5. Link with the geographical area

Throughout Tuscany there are numerous artisan confectioners, given the region's importance during various historical periods: the establishment and spread of the art of making pastries and confectionery in Tuscany was therefore underpinned by the numerous exchanges of goods, spices, ideas and recipes that the region's central location made possible over a considerable stretch of time.

The ingredients used to prepare ‘Cantuccini Toscani’ / ‘Cantucci Toscani’, and especially the almonds and the butter as the only fat used, give them very distinctive characteristics, in terms of quality, fragrance and porosity, which endorse their reputation as a typical biscuit that is both wholesome and refined. The basic biscuit-making techniques are part of the bedrock of Tuscan tradition and for this reason followed widely.

Towards the end of the 19th century, the historian Ferri bears witness to the inclusion of almonds in the recipe when he contends that ‘it was not wrong to use the term cantucci to refer to almond biscuits’ and the writer Giuseppe Pitré describes cantucci as ‘a type of biscuit’ typical of Tuscany in his popular Tuscan novels, compiled during his travels in the region.

At the beginning of the 20th century, thanks also to the ever more large-scale production by the region's many bakeries, ‘Cantuccini Toscani’ / ‘Cantucci Toscani’ were considered as a well-known speciality even beyond regional boundaries, and cited as an example of a typical Tuscan biscuit. That it is included in a publication by Hoepli in 1907 of a manual - written by G. Ciocca entitled ‘Il Pasticciere e confettiere moderno’ [Modern patisseries and bonbonnières] is evidence of this.

‘Cantuccini Toscani’ / ‘Cantucci Toscani’ became popular beyond national boundaries - also because the use of butter and raising agents means that they keep for a long time and are especially suitable for export - to the extent that they are among the best known Italian dry biscuits in the world, while retaining a strong connection to the Tuscan region. Exports of this product to food stores specialised in the sale of Italian products abroad are considerable, as evidenced by the photos of the packing of the ‘Cantuccini Toscani’ / ‘Cantucci Toscani’ bound for foreign markets and the producers' presence at the relevant international fairs (1986, IBA Fair Hamburg).

Accompanying ‘Cantuccini Toscani’ / ‘Cantucci Toscani’ with vin santo, a product which is also strongly linked to the Region of Tuscany, has helped to establish its reputation as a dessert biscuit, to be dipped into liqueur wines. This is evidenced by the many typical Tuscan restaurants that offer their customers ‘Cantuccini Toscani’ / ‘Cantucci Toscani’ accompanied with vin santo for dessert. An article published in the online version of the il Giornale daily newspaper on 15 November 2010 reported that the president of the United States had asked to have ‘Cantuccini Toscani’ / ‘Cantucci Toscani’ accompanied by vin santo on his New Year Eve's menu.

‘Cantuccini Toscani’ / ‘Cantucci Toscani’ are cited in countless cooking blogs, recipes on the internet, tourist guides (Guide enogastronomia ‘l'Italia dei Dolci’ [Italian desserts], ed. Touring Club Italiano 2004), in many Italian dictionaries (from Salvatore Battaglia's Grande Dizionario della Lingua Italiana, 1962, to Tullio De Mauro's Dizionario della Lingua Italiana, 2000) and foreign editions (e.g. Larousse Online multilingue), which describe them as typical Tuscan biscuits and show how consumers all over the world recognise them as a Tuscan speciality, as well as stating that the name is well established both in Italy and across the globe.

In addition to the multitude of bakeries and patisseries that make ‘Cantuccini Toscani’ / ‘Cantucci Toscani’ especially for traditional holidays and festive events, the fact that this product is stocked by major supermarkets and food stores in various Italian provinces demonstrates that this Tuscan product is consumed throughout Italy.

Reference to publication of the specification

(the second subparagraph of Article 6(1) of this Regulation)

The Ministry launched the national opposition procedure with the publication of the proposal for recognising ‘Cantuccini Toscani’ / ‘Cantucci Toscani’ as a protected geographical indication in Official Gazette of the Italian Republic No 154 of 5 July 2014.

The full text of the product specification is available on the internet: http://www.politicheagricole.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/IT/IDPagina/3335

Or alternatively:

by going directly to the homepage of the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policy (www.politicheagricole.it) and clicking on ‘Prodotti DOP IGP’ (at the top right-hand side of the screen), then on ‘Prodotti DOP IGP STG’ (on the left-hand side of the screen), and finally by clicking on ‘Disciplinari di Produzione all'esame dell'UE’.

(1) OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.