Do you love biscotti but have never made them? Maybe you should consider adding to your New Year’s resolutions and think about making a batch. Why pay $1.25 or more at the coffee shop for a single biscotti (which usually tastes stale to me) when you can make a big batch up for substantially less? The frosting on the cake (or chocolate glaze on the biscotti!) is that your biscotti will be fresh and absolutely delicious!
To get you started, try these basic Italian biscotti—they are very simple to make. You will end up with a crispy, crunchy biscotti with a light almond flavor which is perfect for dunking in coffee or tea. If you like, you can dip the top in melted dark or white chocolate.
I believe if you store them in an air-tight container, they’ll last for a few weeks. Mine never last that long, so I can’t say for sure!
One year ago: Bread Sculpture Dough, Mama Musto’s Lentil Soup
Almond Biscotti
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- Pinch salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 tsp. almond extract
- 2 cups toasted* almonds (You can keep almonds whole or roughly chop them after toasting.)
*Spread almonds in a single layer on a cookie sheet and bake at 350o for approximately 10 minutes until fragrant.
Directions
In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, soda and salt. In another bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla and almond extract; stir into dry ingredients. Add almonds. Divide dough in thirds or quarters.
On a well-floured surface, shape into logs. Rub some flour on your hands, so that the dough won’t stick to them. Transfer logs to a parchment paper-lined or lightly sprayed baking sheet, and bake in a preheated 300o oven for 40 minutes or until firm and lightly browned. Cool on a rack for at least 5 minutes. Cut logs on the diagonal into 3/4″ slices. Return slices to baking sheet, leaving space around each slice, and continue baking for 15 minutes or until desired crispness (I bake for 23!). Cool completely on rack.
Fran’s Notes
I like my biscotti particularly crunchy, so I bake them well past the recommended time. You may need to experiment with the baking time in your own oven to get the biscotti to your preferred level of crunchiness.
Source: Adapted from a recipe in The Best 50 Biscotti Recipes
I know it’s redundant, but I am an Italian foodie. My two sisters and I grew up in a thoroughly Italian household with a Sicilian mom and a Neopolitan dad—both equally good cooks. My dad and uncle owned a small Italian restaurant together, and it was the place to go for great home style Italian food, including wonderful homemade pizza. My dad has passed on; but, to this day, even if my 80-plus-year-old mom doesn’t know you’re coming, she’ll pull a 5-course meal out of the fridge in no time flat.
Best biscotti recipe! I included Fran’s Almond Biscotti in my Christmas baking this year and they were the first to be gobbled up! My past few efforts of successfully following a biscotti recipe failed but this recipe makes it so easy! I used raw almonds, toasted them for in the oven as instructed and left them whole (not chopped) in the batter. I didn’t have almond extract in the house so I used anise extract instead which gave the biscotti a delightful flavor. I plan to make more of these cookies and freeze them – wonderful to have on hand anytime you have company.
I made the recipe as written and they are delicious. Thanks for a great recipe.