Almond Toffee Biscotti

A true biscotti should be crafted with butter, fresh eggs and a dash of Italian love.

Biscotti are delightful twice-baked Italian cookies, with a subtly sweet, crunchy texture. Their base recipe contains butter, eggs, and flour, much like most butter cookies. What happens next is the addition of any number of ingredients, such as nuts, chocolate, and fruits creating an endless possibility of combinations. Some are glazed with a simple icing made from confectioner’s sugar and a few drops of milk, which can be drizzled or brush on the tops.

“Biscotti” is a generic term for a variety of Italian cookies prepared in a variety of styles. But we have come to know them as a sliced cookie form. The word “biscotti” actually translates to “bis” meaning “more than one” and “cotto” meaning “cooking” in Italian. This is accomplished by forming the dough into a log and baking it. It is then removed from the oven to cool slightly, when it is sliced diagonally, returned to the oven for a second baking.

Italians traditionally enjoy them as dipping cookies to dunk in wine, but often, you will see them served along side an espresso. Either way, they are baked to enjoy.

Ingredients

Toffee Almonds

2 Tablespoons butter

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup sliced, blanched almonds

In a nonreactive sauté pan, melt the butter and sugar together over medium heat. When the mixtures begins to bubble and turn golden, stir in the almonds. This happens quickly, so be sure to keep a close eye on it, and continue stirring until nuts begin to toast. Pour out on to a sheet of parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Allow to cool, then break into pieces.

Biscotti

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups flour

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In the stainless steel bowl of your standing mixer, beat the butter and sugar. Scrape down the sides, and beat in the eggs, vanilla and almond extracts. Sift the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing thoroughly until fully combined. Dough should be soft, not sticky. Turn the dough out on to a clean countertop. press the toffee bits into the dough, spreading it out evenly through the dough. Form the dough into two logs 2-1/2 inches by 12 inches, and about 1/2 inch thick. Brush with a little milk or cream and dust with granulated sugar. Bake on a parchment lined cookie sheet for 25 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove from oven, and allow to cool about 10 minutes. Place the logs on a cutting board. With a serrated knife, cut the logs on the diagonal about 1/2 inch thick. Return the slices to the cookie sheet and bake an additional 10 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack Biscotti can be stored in an air-tight cookie jar.