Biscotti
When I was 23, I drove down to Florida with my sister and a few friends. We were poor students at the time so we crashed on my great-Aunt’s floor for part of the trip. We laid on the beach, drank way to much and somehow managed to stay for a week on $200. I am sure it is part nostalgia, but that trip will remain in my mind as one of the greatest. What reminds me most about our escapades- biscotti!
Perhaps I should explain. My great-Aunt was well into her 80s, in a retirement community and did not cook or have many groceries. But ever the good host, she stocked her fridge full of beer for us and had a Costco-sized box of pre-packaged biscotti. There is nothing like lounging by a retirement pool drinking beer and munching on biscotti.
While I no longer eat my biscotti with a PBR (ok maybe once in a while on vacation), I will always think of my Aunt and our amazing trip whenever I munch on that almond dessert.
Making biscotti at home is relatively easy. They are slightly more time consuming than most other cookies because they need to be baked twice. The great thing about making your own is that you can experiment with different additions and flavour. This is a recipe for the classic almond biscotti, but feel free to make it your own- add pistachios, chocolate, orange zest…the possibilities are endless.
Enjoy with a cup of coffee, tea, or PBR if you’re feeling adventurous.
Classic Almond Biscotti
Fine Cooking Magazine
2 cups (9 oz) all-purpose flour
¾ cup plus 1 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp table salt
¾ cup (4 oz) whole, skin-on almonds, toasted
3 large eggs, beaten
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
½ tsp pure almond extract
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Put the flour, 3/4 cup of the sugar, lemon zest, baking powder, and salt in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the almonds and mix to combine and break the nuts into pieces about 1/3 to 1/4 their original size, 1 to 2 minutes.
Reserve 1 Tbs. of the beaten eggs in a small bowl. Add the remaining eggs and both extracts to the mixer. Mix on medium-low speed until a soft, sticky dough forms, about 2 minutes.
Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and pat it into a 5-inch disk; halve the disk. Lightly moisten your hands with oil or water, then squeeze and pat one piece of dough into a log. Lay the log lengthwise on one side of the prepared baking sheet. Stretch and pat the dough into a flat loaf that’s about 12 inches long and 2 to 2-1/2 inches wide. Repeat with the remaining dough on the opposite side of the sheet; leave at least 2 inches of space between the loaves.
Mix the reserved beaten egg with 2 tsp. water. Lightly brush the loaves with the egg wash and sprinkle with the remaining 1 Tbs. sugar.
Bake until pale golden around the edges and just set, 20 to 25 minutes. (There will be cracks on the surface, which is OK.) Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F.
Set the baking sheet on a cooling rack. Gently slide an offset spatula under each loaf to loosen it. Let cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to the rack and let cool for 20 to 30 minutes longer.
Transfer the loaves to a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut the loaves on the diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange the slices, cut side up, on the baking sheet; it’s fine if they fit snugly. Bake for 10 minutes, then flip and bake until golden, about 10 minutes more. Transfer the biscotti to the rack and cool completely; they will become firm and crunchy as they cool.
The biscotti can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
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