Micheles Spiced Almond Biscotti Recipes

TUSCAN SPICE AND ALMOND BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Finely grind 1/3 cup of the toasted almonds in a food processor.
• In a medium-sized bowl, combine the ground almonds, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and allspice.
• In a mixing bowl, cream together sugar and butter.
• Add honey, egg, vanilla extract and almond extract to the creamed mixture.
• Gradually blend in dry mixture and remaining 2/3 cup almonds.
• On a well floured surface, shape dough into two logs.
• Transfer logs to a baking sheet or baking stone, leaving space between the two logs.
• Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until firm and lightly brown.
• Cool logs on a wire rack for at least 5 minutes.
• Cut logs into 3/4-inch slices.
• Place slices in a single layer on the baking sheet, leaving space around each slice.
• Continue baking about 10-15 minutes or until desired crispness.
• Cool completely on a wire rack.

SPICY ALMOND BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Set rack at the middle level of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
• Prepare a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan by lining with parchment.
• Combine sugar and 1 1/4 cups almonds in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade; grind to a fine powder.
• In a large mixing bowl, stir together ground almonds, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pepper, ginger, cinnamon, coriander and cloves. Stir in the remaining 2 cups whole almonds.
• Stir water, honey and orange zest together; add to bowl and mix until dough holds together. Scrape dough onto a floured work surface, slightly kneading it until it holds together. Divide dough in half and roll each half into a cylinder, slightly shorter than one of your baking pans. Transfer logs to the pan, keeping them well apart from one another and the sides of the pan.
• Bake the logs until they have puffed and spread and feel firm when pressed with a fingertip, about 30 minutes. (Note: About halfway through the baking time, place the pan from the lower rack on the upper one and vice versa, turning the pans back to front at the same time. If you know that your oven gives strong bottom heat, bake the pan on the lower rack stacked on a second one for insulation.).
• Let cool, then slice into 1/4- to 1/2-inch-thick slices with a serrated knife. Return slices to pan (2 parchment lined pans may be required) and bake until they are slightly toasted, 20 to 25 minutes.

MICHELE'S SPICED ALMOND BISCOTTI

Steps:

• In a small bowl sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, white pepper, ground cloves, cinnamon and ginger.
• Whisk sugar and eggs to a light lemon color; stir in extracts, orange zest and almonds.
• Sift dry ingredients over the egg mixture, then fold in until dough is just combined.
• Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350ºF.
• Halve dough and turn each portion onto an oiled cookie sheet covered with parchment.
• Using floured hands, quickly stretch each portion of dough into a rough 13-by-2-inch log, placing them about 3 inches apart on the cookie sheet.
• Pat each dough shape to smooth it.
• Bake, turning pan once, until loaves are golden and just beginning to crack on top, about 35 minutes.
• Cool the loaves for 10 minutes; lower oven temperature to 325ºF.
• Cut each loaf diagonally into 3/8-inch slices with a serrated knife.
• Lay the slices about 1/2 inch apart on the cookie sheet, cut side up, and return them to the oven.
• Bake, turning over each cookie halfway through baking, until crisp and golden brown on both sides, about 15 minutes.
• Transfer biscotti to wire rack and cool completely.
• Biscotti can be stored in an airtight container for at least 1 month.
• Variations: Macerate (means to soak or steep) 3/4 cup currants, chopped raisins, or dates in 1/4 cup brandy or marsala for at least 1 hour.
• Drain and fold into the dough along with extracts, adding a teaspoon or so of the macerating liquid to the dough.