Traditional Italian biscotti, cantuccini or biscotti di Prato, are very hard in texture and are meant to be dipped into coffee or some other accompanying drink to soften before eating.
The American version of biscotti is big, buttery and softer in texture, more like sugar cookies.
This recipe is a hybrid: a cookie with a texture that is not so hard but imbued with great flavors that can be enjoyed with or without dunking into coffee.
Ingredients to make 30 cookies:
1¼ cups/200g whole almonds, lightly toasted
1¾ cups/218g all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
2 large eggs and 1 egg white
175g sugar
4 tbsp/57g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1½ tsp almond extract
½ tsp vanilla extract
1) Preheat oven to 325F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat.
2) Pulse 1 cup of almonds in a food processor until coarsely chopped, about 8-10 times. Remove to another bowl.
3) Process the remaining quarter cup of almonds until finely ground, about 45 seconds.
4) Add flour, baking powder, and salt to the finely ground almonds. Transfer to another bowl.
5) Process the eggs for about 3 minutes. With the motor running, add sugar and process for about 15 seconds.
6) Add melted butter, almond extract, and vanilla. Process for another 10 seconds.
7) Transfer the egg mixture into a big bowl and add the flour mixture and the coarsely chopped almonds. Fold gently with a spatula until combined.
8) Divide the dough in half and shape into a log.
9) Bake until the loaves are golden and just beginning to crack, 25-30 minutes.
10) Let the loaves cool on the sheet for at least 30 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into about half an inch thick. Lay them out, cut side down, on the same baking sheet and bake until crisp and golden, about 35 minutes.
11) They can be kept at room temperature in a sealed container for about a month.
Recipe reference: Cook's Science by Cook's Illustrated
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