I would, really, if gas were free and I had all the free time in the world. In Carmel on Ocean Avenue, you can find Carmel Bakery and Coffee Co. It was there that I fell in love with biscotti... there's is cut thick, loaded with chocolate, and utterly divine. Alas, it's a few hours to Carmel, so when the craving for biscotti hits, I do what any baker would and make my own batch, which is pretty darn good itself.
The recipe can be used as a good base for experimenting with biscotti. So far, I've found this adaptation to be a favorite. Flavored with almond extract, heavily drizzled with melted dark chocolate, and sprinkled with slivered almonds, it's the perfect way to start off the day along with a nice cup of coffee for dunking. It's also delicious without the chocolate (I will always choose chocolate!), so make it to your preference. Plus, I cut the biscotti none too thin, so as to really get a lot of flavor with each bite (there's just something about cutting food thickly that makes it seem better to me). Which do you prefer: thick or thin?
| (Chocolate) Almond Biscotti |
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter (1 stick, softened)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons almond extract
- 1 cup slivered almonds
- For optional topping:
- 1 ¾ cup dark chocolate chips
- almonds for sprinkling
- Preheat oven to 350F and grease two 12″ x 5 ½″ biscotti pans.You will also use a parchment-lined baking sheet, and this can be used in place of the biscotti pans.
- Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl, whisking together without over-mixing.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add eggs and almond extract and beat well. Add dry ingredients, beating at lowest speed until just combined. Stir in 1 cup of almonds by hand.
- Spoon the dough into the prepared biscotti tins or shape into a rectangle, 24" x 11", on the baking sheet, smoothing the dough out so it is flat.
- Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven. After the first baking period, remove from the oven to cool for 5 minutes before slicing into strips about 1 ¼ inches wide. Then, place the biscotti back in the oven for the second bake. Bake for 15 minutes, and then overturn the pans to place the biscotti upside-down on a parchment-lined baking sheet, or simply turn the biscotti over by hand if they are already on the baking sheet. Bake for another 10 minutes on the baking sheet.
- Once the biscotti are finished baking, allow them to cool completely. They will get crispier as they cool.
- For optional topping: To melt the dark chocolate chips, place them in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 1 minute. Stir and microwave in additional 30-second increments until completely melted. Use a spatula to drizzle the chocolate over the cooled biscotti. Then, sprinkle a handful of slivered almonds onto the biscotti. Allow the chocolate to harden before eating (as tempting as it is to eat them right then and there!)
Mercedes says
These look just lovely. I would love to dunk one in some tea right now!
brighteyedbaker says
Thanks! I love them with coffee, but I think tea would be good too!