Almond Biscotti

Almond Biscotti Recipe

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
• 3/4 cup sliced almonds

1. Position one of your oven racks in the center of your oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking liner.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and cornmeal together until well blended.
3. In the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or, if mixing by hand, in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together at medium speed until very smooth, about 3 minutes.
4. Add the eggs and continue to beat, scraping down the bowl as needed, for another 2 minutes, or until the mixture is light and creamy.
5. Beat in the almond extract.
6. With the mixer on low speed or while stirring with the spoon,add the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.
7. You should have a soft, sticky dough that will clump on the paddle.
8. Stir in the almonds and mix just to blend.
9. Scrape half the dough on to one half of your prepared baking sheet. Lightly dust your hands with flour and shape the dough into a 1 1/2 inch by 12 inch log.
10. Shape the remaining dough into a log on the other side of the baking sheet.
11. Place the baking sheet on the center rack of your oven and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the top of the logs are lightly golden but still soft and springy to the touch.
12. Place the baking sheet on a wire rack and allow the logs to cool about 30 minutes. (leave the oven set at 350 degrees or preheat again before continuing).
13. Transfer the logs to a cutting board.
14. Using a serrated knife, cut the logs on a slight diagonal into 3/4-inch slices. Use a gentle sawing motion to cut through the top crust.
15. Place slices on the baking sheet standing them up on their 'bottoms'.
16. Bake the biscotti another 15 minutes, or until they are golden and firm.
17. Place baking sheet on a wire rack and allow the biscotti to cool completely on the sheet.

This recipe yields about 30 Almond Biscotti.

Chocolate Almond Biscotti Recipe

• 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3 squares (1 ounce each - 3 oz total) semi-sweet chocolate, melted
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
• 1/4 orange juice
• 3 squares (1 ounce each - 3 oz total) semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 3/4 cup walnut pieces, toasted
• 3/4 cup whole blanced almonds, toasted

1. Position one of your oven racks in the center of your oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare cookie sheet by greasing and lightly dusting with flour.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until smooth and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well mixed. Stir in melted chocolate. Add orange zest and juice and mix well.
4. Gradually add flour mixture to wet mixture and mix well until dough forms. Fold in chopped chocolate and nuts.
5. Divide dough in half.
6. Form two rolls about 2 inches wide. Place at least 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet pan.
7. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.
8. Cool on cookie sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer rolls to cutting board and cut into slices 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick.
9. Return to oven and bake for 10 minutes.
10. Turn slices over and bake for 10 minutes more.
11. Remove from oven and transfer immediately to wire racks to cool.

This recipe yields about 4 dozen Chocolate Almond Biscotti.

For an extra special treat:
Dip one end of your biscotti cookie into melted chocolate and let cool before serving.

Apricot Almond Biscotti Recipe

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1/2 cup blanched chopped almonds, toasted
• 1cup finely chopped dried apricots

1. Position one of your oven racks in the center of your oven. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until smooth and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well incorporated. Stir in almond extract and orange zest. Add almonds and apricots and mix well.
4. Gradually add flour mixture, mixing well until dough forms.
5. On a lightly floured surface, divide dough in half.
6. Shape into two rolls about 8 inches long. Place at least 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
7. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer rolls to cutting board and cut into slices 1/2-inch thick.
9. Return to cookie sheets and bake for 15 minutes.
10. Turn slices over and bake for 5 minutes more.
11. Remove from oven and immediately transfer to wire racks to cool.

This recipe yields about 2 1/2 dozen Apricot Almond Biscotti.

Chocolate Almond Cake Mix Biscotti Recipe

• 1 box (18.25-ounce) Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe® dark chocolate fudge or devil's food cake mix
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure almond extract
• 3/4 cup whole almonds

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, flour, melted butter, eggs and almond extract and beat for 2 minutes, or until dough forms.
3. Fold almonds into dough.
4. On a flat surface, form dough into log about 3 inches wide by 13 inches long.
5. Bake for 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
6. Remove from oven and cool for 35 minutes.
7. With a serrated knife, cut log crosswise at a sharp angle, into 1/2-inch thick slices.
8. Arrange biscotti with cut sides down on cookie sheets and bake for additional 15 minutes.
9. Reduce oven temperature to 200F degrees and bake for 40 minutes, or until cookies are dry.
10. Remove from oven and transfer biscotti to wire racks and cool completely. As they cool, the cookies will harden.
11. If desired, melt dark or white chocolate and dip bottoms of biscotti into melted chocolate to evenly coat and then place on wax paper for chocolate to set.

This recipe yields about 2 dozen Chocolate Almond Cake Mix Biscotti.

Chocolate Chip Almond Biscotti Recipe

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 3 tablespoons almond-flavored liqueur
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup sliced almonds, toasted and chopped

1. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until combined.
4. Beat in liqueur and water.
5. Slowly add dry flour mixture while beating on low speed, just until blended.
6. Stir in chocolate chips and almonds.
7. Divide dought into fourths and spread each quarter evenly down center of waxed paper.
8. Using wax paper to hold dough, roll it back and forth to form a 15-inch log.
9. Wrap each log in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
10. When you're ready to bake, preheat oven to 375F degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicon liners.
11. Unwrap each log and place on prepared cookie sheet.
12. With floured hands, shape each log 2 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick.
13. Bake for 15 minutes.
14. Remove from oven and with a serate knife, cut each log into 1-inch-thick diagonal slices.
15. Place slices, cut side up, on sheets and bake for 7 minutes.
16. Turn cookies over and bake an additional 7 minutes, or until cut surfaces are golden brown and cookies are dry.
17. Remove from oven and transfer cookies to wire racks and cool completely.
18. Store in tightly covered containers at room temperature or freeze up to 3 months.

This recipe makess about 4 dozen Chocolate Chip Almond Biscotti.