Vanilla Almond Biscotti Food

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.

CHEF JOHN'S ALMOND BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a mixing bowl.
• Place butter, 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, olive oil in a separate mixing bowl. Mix together thoroughly until mixture has a creamy texture. Add 1 egg; mix into butter/sugar mixture. Whisk in 2nd egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract; whisk until smooth. Add flour mixture. Mix until flour is incorporated. Add whole almonds and chopped almonds; mix in evenly. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone mat.
• Divide dough in half. Place each half on a length of plastic wrap and shape into a log. Wrap with the plastic wrap and press into a shape about 3 or 4 inches wide and about 1/2 inch high. Transfer both pieces to prepared baking sheet leaving about 3 or 4 inches of space between them to allow for spreading.
• Bake in center of preheated oven until turning golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes before slicing.
• Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Cut each piece at a slight angle into 1/2- to 1 -inch thick slices with a serrated knife. Transfer pieces back to baking sheet in a single layer. Bake 12 minutes; remove from oven and flip pieces over. Return pan to oven and bake until biscotti are golden brown and crunchy, about 20 minutes.
• Transfer biscotti to a cooling rack; let cool to room temperature.

ALMOND BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using an electric mixer, beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Add almonds and beat until combined.
• Divide dough in half and transfer to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Form each half into a 2 1/2-inch-wide, 3/4-inch-tall log. Bake until dough is firm but gives slightly when pressed, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through. Let cool on sheet on a wire rack, 20 minutes.
• With a serrated knife, cut logs into 1/4-inch slices on the diagonal and arrange, cut side down, on 2 parchment-lined rimmed baking sheets. Bake until biscotti are crisp and golden, about 15 minutes, rotating sheets and flipping biscotti halfway through. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.

ITALIAN BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F ( 165 degrees C ).
• In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Add eggs one at a time; beat until fluffy. Stir in the anise and vanilla extracts. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt; Add them to the egg mixture along with the chopped almonds. Stir with a spoon and as the dough comes together, Knead by hand.
• Divide the dough into 4 parts. Roll each piece into a log about 15 inches long. Place logs onto cookie sheets, 2 to a sheet, the long way. Flatten the logs out until they are about 3 inches wide with a slight hump going down the middle. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, loaves should be firm. Cut the loaves into diagonal slices 1/2 inch wide, place the slices onto the cookie sheets and return to the oven. Toast on one side, then turn them over to do the other side. This will take about 7 to 10 minutes.

BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Position rack in center of oven. With a small knife, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and place in a small bowl. Add the sugar and use your fingers to mix the vanilla evenly into the sugar. Set aside. With an electric mixer, cream the butter until light. Add the vanilla sugar and mix until fluffy. Add the eggs and the vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and almonds and stir into the butter mixture.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the dough into 3 pieces. On a lightly floured surface, shape each piece of dough into a log that is about 1 1/4 inches in diameter. Place the logs on the baking sheet, spacing them as far apart as possible. Bake in the center of the oven until lightly browned, about 30 minutes.
• Place the logs on a cutting board and let them cool slightly. With a serrated knife, cut the logs on the diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick pieces. Place on the baking sheet, cut side down. Bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes, turning once. Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool. Store in an airtight container.

VANILLA ALMOND BISCOTTI - NO SUGAR ADDED

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Combine dry ingredients and set aside.
• Use mixer to beat butter and splenda till light.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each.
• Add vanilla, stir.
• Remove bowl from mixer and stir in 1/2 of the flour mixture.
• Stir in milk.
• Add remaining flour mixture and combine well.
• Add chopped almonds and mix inches.
• Make into biscotti loaf or use the Pipe-N-Bake Biscotti pan like we do.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes.
• We like our biscotti soft, but if you don't you can put biscotti on a cookie sheet and return to the oven for 10 more minutes to crisp them.
• Enjoy!

ALMOND BISCOTTI

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
• In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, butter, and almond extract until just smooth. One at a time, beat in the eggs. Add the flour mixture and almonds and mix until just incorporated (do not overmix). Refrigerate the dough, covered, until firm enough to handle, 30 to 60 minutes.
• Heat oven to 350° F. Divide the dough in half and shape into two 12-by-2-inch logs (about ¾ inch thick). Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until just golden around the edges and firm to the touch, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer the loaves to a rack and cool for 15 minutes.
• Using a serrated knife, cut the logs into ½-inch-thick slices. Arrange in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake until dry and crisp, 18 to 22 minutes. Cool completely on the baking sheet. Store the biscotti in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

ALMOND BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F/165° C. Position rack in the center.
• Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Spread almonds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 12-15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt and sugars).
• In a large bowl, whisk eggs. Add olive oil, extracts, and zest. Whisk lightly together.
• When almonds are toasted, remove them from the oven and coarsely chop.
• Add flour mixture to egg mixture; stir with a wooden spoon until just incorporated.
• Fold in chopped almonds (make sure they have cooled off before incorporating in the batter).
• Use a large serving spoon to scoop out the dough and place it on the parchment-lined cookie sheet. Add another scoop adjacent to the batter on the cookie sheet and keep going until two logs are formed.With damp fingers, shape into a log shape.
• Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until golden brown in color and firm. Allow to cool slightly for about 10 minutes.
• Remove from baking sheet and transfer to a cutting board.
• Using a serrated knife, slice cookies at an angle about ½ - ¾ inch thick.
• Place slices back on the baking sheets and return them to the oven for about another 15-20 minutes (the longer they stay in the oven, the crispier they get). Turn them over at the halfway mark.
• Place on a wire rack to cool.

ALMOND BISCOTTI WITH VANILLA GLAZE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Place almonds on parchment paper and bake for 10 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes for even toasting. Let almond cool, then coarsely chop them on a cutting board. Keep oven on.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. By hand or using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, then the almond extract. Stir in the almonds. Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the egg mixture, then fold in until the dough is just mixed.
• Halve the dough and turn both portions onto the prepared baking sheet. Using floured hands, quickly stretch each portion of dough into a rough 13 by 2 inch log. Place the loaves about three inches apart on the baking sheet, patting each one smooth.
• Bake until the loaves until are golden and just beginning to crack on top, about 35 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time. Cool the loaves for 10 minutes, lower the oven temperature to 325° F.
• Transfer the loaves to a cutting board. With a serrated knife cut each loaf diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Lay the slices about 1/2-inch apart on the baking sheet, cut-side up..
• Bake at 325° F, turning over each cookie halfway through baking, until crisp and golden brown on both sides, about 15 minutes. Transfer the biscotti to a wire rack to cool completely.
• For the glaze, whisk together confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract, butter, milk and salt until combined. Add more milk if necessary to reach desired consistency. Use a spoon or icing bag to drizzle glaze over the biscotti.