I was very lucky to be treated to a biscotti master class yesterday. My friend Suzanna makes amazing biscotti and came over to teach me her secrets. It is hard to believe that her biscotti are home-made, they are that good, but she claimed it was easy. She was right, the recipe is surprisingly simple and playing with the dough has a child-like delight. My first attempts weren’t quite as professional as hers, but they are nutty, crunchy and perfect to dip into coffee or hot chocolate.
Ingredients
1 cup whole almonds toasted and chopped (blanch them before toasting if you’d like)
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
¾ cup sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
Optional:
zest of an orange
½ – ¾ cup of chocolate chunks
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Toast the almonds on a baking sheet for 8-10 minutes. Reduce the oven to 300ºF.
- Combine dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, sugar).
- In separate bowl, combine wet ingredients (eggs, extract, zest)
- Add dry to wet combine (use hands). You may need to add a little more flour. When combined, add almonds (and chocolate).
- Divide dough in two. Shape into two ~25cm long & ~5 cm wide logs (additional flour may be needed to prevent sticking).
- Place logs on a parchment-lined cookie sheet about 7cm apart. Press down on logs.
- Bake 35-40 minutes.
- When cool to touch place logs on cutting board and with a serrated knife slice logs at desired angle and to desired thickness.
- Place slices back on cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes on each side.
The number of biscotti it makes varies by size of slices and those consumed prior to baking on each side. You can also make other variations – cranberry, cherry, pistachio, hazelnut, lemon.
Source: recipe inspired by the almond biscotti recipe available at www.joyofbaking.com.
