Gourmets Almond Apricot Biscotti Recipes

APRICOT AND ALMOND BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Position a rack in the center of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Remove enough zest from one large orange to make 1 tsp. set aside.
• Squeeze the orange to obtain 2 teaspoons of orange juice.
• Combine the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl and mix together thoroughly.
• In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the sugar, butter, eggs, salt, orange zest, orange juice and vanilla for 2 to 3 minutes, until thick and pale.
• Add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl a little bit at a time. Add in the chopped apricots and almonds and mix on medium-low speed until all the ingredients are moistened.
• Let the dough rest a couple of minutes in the mixer bowl.
• Scrape out the dough with a rubber spatula onto a lined cookie sheet (I used a sheet for each log) and divide the dough in half.
• Spray hands with cooking spray. Divide the dough into two equal pieces, then shape each into a flattened log, about 3 inches wide and 12 inches long. If you are using one baking tray, place logs a few inches apart on the baking sheet so they won't stick together as they bake. If you have two sheets, place one log on each lined baking sheet.
• Bake until dough is firm but gives slightly when pressed, about 20-25 minutes.
• Transfer sheet to a wire rack and let logs cool completely (could take a full 30 minutes). Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.
• Transfer the first loaf carefully to a cutting board. When the logs have completely cooled down, begin slicing the first log by pressing a very sharp knife straight down into the dough. Place the cookies back on the baking sheet, cut sides up. Keep in mind that the when you slice on a bigger angle, you will get much longer cookies. If you slice short angles, you'll get small biscotti. Place the second log on the cutting board and repeat process cutting out the cookie pieces and placing on the baking sheet.
• Bake 7 minutes, flip biscotti, and bake 7 minutes more.
• Set the sheet on a rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days. After 3 days, safest to store in the refrigerator.

APRICOT ALMOND BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Stir together flour, baking powder and salt in bowl. Set aside.
• Combine sugar, butter and almond extract in another bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Continue beating, adding eggs one at a time, until creamy. Stir in apricots and almonds. Gently stir in flour mixture just until dough forms.
• Divide dough in half. Shape each half of dough on lightly floured surface into 12x1 1/2-inch log. Place logs about 4 inches apart onto lightly greased large cookie sheet. Flatten each log to 2-inch width. Bake 25- 30 minutes or until logs begin to crack and edges begin to brown. Let stand 10 minutes on cookie sheet.
• Reduce oven to 300°F.
• Carefully cut logs diagonally into 1/2-inch slices with serrated knife. Place slices onto same cookie sheet, cut-side down. Bake 20-25 minutes, turning once, or until crisp and very light brown on both sides. Place onto cooling racks. Cool completely.
• Sprinkle cooled cookies with sifted powdered sugar. Store in loosely covered container.

NONNA'S BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Stir together sugar, butter, brandy, and extracts in a large bowl, then stir in almonds and eggs. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt until just combined.
• Chill dough, covered, 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
• Using moistened hands, halve dough and form 2 (16-by 2-inch) loaves on an ungreased large baking sheet.
• Bake until pale golden, about 30 minutes. Carefully transfer loaves to a rack and cool 15 minutes.
• Cut loaves into 3/4-inch slices with a serrated knife.
• Arrange biscotti, with a cut side down, on a clean baking sheet and bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to rack to cool completely.

ALMOND-APRICOT BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Line 18x12x1-inch cookie sheet (or jellyroll pan) with foil (or parchment paper).
• Butter and flour foil (not the parchment).
• Combine flour, sugar, butter, baking powder, salt, and ground ginger in food processor.
• Process until fine meal forms.
• Add white chocolate and process until finely chopped.
• Add toasted almonds and chop coarsely, using 5 to 7 on/off pulses.
• Beat eggs, brandy and extract in large bowl (You might want to use a counter top mixer).
• Add flour mixture and apricots to liquid mixture.
• Stir until moist dough forms.
• Drop dough by spoonfuls in three evenly spaced 12-inch-long strips on prepared sheet.
• Moisten fingertips and shape each dough strip into 2-inch-wide log.
• Refrigerate until dough is firm, about 30 minutes.
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees (F).
• Bake until logs are light brown, about 30 minutes.
• Transfer sheet to rack and cool completely.
• Reduce oven heat to 300 degrees (F).
• Transfer biscotti to work surface.
• Cut logs from sides of pan if necessary.
• Using very sharp knife, cut each log crosswise into 3/4-inch-wide slices.
• Arrange half of cookies cut side down on cookie sheet.
• Bake 10 minutes.
• Gently turn cookies over and bake 10 more minutes.
• Transfer cookies to cooling rack.
• Repeat baking with remaining cookies.
• Cool cookies completely before serving or storing.

ALMOND APRICOT BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Blend in butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add whole egg, milk, and extracts, stirring with a fork until a soft dough forms, then knead in almonds.
• Divide dough between 2 sheets of wax paper, then form into 2 equal mounds and flatten each mound into a 5-inch disk. Put half of apricots in center of 1 disk and fold dough over apricots to enclose them (use wax paper as an aid if necessary), then transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Form into a 14- by 2 1/2-inch log lengthwise on 1 side of baking sheet, spreading dough with wet hands. Make another log with remaining dough and apricots, arranging it about 4 inches from first log.
• Brush logs with egg wash and bake in middle of oven until pale golden and firm, about 20 minutes. Cool on baking sheet on a rack 20 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 300°F while logs cool.
• Carefully transfer baked logs to a cutting board using 2 wide metal spatulas, then cut logs diagonally into 1/2-inch-wide slices with a large heavy knife.
• Line baking sheet with a clean sheet of parchment. Stand slices, curved sides up, 1/2 inch apart on baking sheet and bake in upper third of oven until biscotti are dry, about 30 minutes (they will become hard as they cool). Transfer biscotti to rack to cool.