Crunchy Almond Biscotti Food

ALMOND BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
• Combine dry ingredients and set aside.
• Whisk the eggs, amaretto (if using, or the almond extract and rum), vanilla and anise extracts in your mixer until well blended.
• Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
• Dough should be thick and sticky at this point--do not worry, and DO NOT add more flour!
• Scrape the dough out onto a parchment lined sheet pan.
• Flour your hands and shape into a long flat loaf about 10 inches long and 5 inches wide.
• This will be kind of messy, so don't worry about how neat it is, just try to get it in that general shape.
• Bake until firm and dry, about 50 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and cool 10 minute.
• Use a long serrated knife and slice into 1/2-inch wide slices.
• Lay the slices cut side down on the baking sheet and bake another 20 minutes.
• Turn the slices over and bake 20 minutes more, or until the cookies are a light golden brown.
• Cool the biscotti on a rack; cool completely before storing.

THE BEST ALMOND BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Adjust rack to center position and heat the oven to 350 degree. Line a cookie sheet with wax or parchment paper.
• Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nuts in a large bowl and stir to combine. In a small bowl combine the eggs, butter and vanilla and whisk to fully combine.
• Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the egg mixture. Using a rubber spatula, mix to combine until a rough dough forms.
• Dump the dough onto a work surface and knead a couple of times until the dough comes together, adding extra flour sparingly and only if necessary. Start to form the dough into a big, fat cigar and cut it in half. Form each half into a cigar about 1 inch thick, 2 inches wide and about 12 inches long. Place them onto the cookie sheet and lightly press with fingers to slightly flat cigars.
• Bake for 25 minutes reversing the pan halfway through. The bars will be firm to the touch and just slightly browned. Remove from the oven and lower the temperature to 300 degrees. Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 15 minutes.
• Remove cookies to a cutting board using two spatulas. Using a serrated knife, slice the bars on an angle about 1/2 inch tick to form the biscotti. Lay them back on the cookie sheet with either cut side down and place back in oven for 15 minutes. Turn each cookie to expose the other cut side and place in oven for another 15 minutes. Let cool on a rack to room temperature. Place cookies in an airtight container.

LEMON-ALMOND BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Spread almonds in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until fragrant and lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Let cool in sheet on a wire rack, then, using your hands, coarsely crush nuts. In a large bowl, stir together sugar, butter, lemon zest and juice, and extracts. Stir in almonds, egg, and egg white. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; stir flour mixture into egg mixture just until combined. Cover dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Using moistened hands, halve dough and place on two rimmed baking sheets. Form into two 1 1/2-by-16-inch logs (remoisten hands as needed). Bake until pale golden, about 25 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. With a large metal spatula, carefully loosen logs from sheets, then let cool on sheets on wire racks, 15 minutes.
• With a serrated knife, cut logs into 1/3-inch slices on the diagonal and arrange, cut side down, on clean baking sheets. Bake until biscotti are pale golden, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer biscotti to a wire rack and let cool completely. (Store biscotti in an airtight container, up to 1 month.)

CRUNCHY ALMOND BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spread almonds on a baking sheet.
• Toast almonds in the preheated oven until lightly browned and fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes. Allow almonds to cool.
• Reduce oven heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
• Lightly beat eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract in a bowl. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in another bowl. Gradually beat egg mixture into flour mixture with an electric mixer until dough comes together. Add toasted almonds and mix until just incorporated.
• Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface and shape dough into a 3x14-inch log. Transfer log to prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until firm to the touch, 30 to 40 minutes. Allow log to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Transfer log to a cutting board and cut into 1/2-inch thick slices, using a serrated knife. Return biscotti slices to baking sheet, cut-side up.
• Return biscotti to the oven and bake until biscotti are firm to the touch, about 20 minutes. Flip each cookie and continue baking until toasted, about 20 minutes more. Cool biscotti completely before storing in an airtight container.