Italian Almond Biscotti Recipe



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Biscotti means literally, twice baked, and they are. Recipes for variations of hard biscuits go all the way back to ancient societies. By twice baking, the biscuits have a very long shelf life. These are excellent dunked in coffee, tea, wine, or bourbon. 

Anise And Almond Biscotti Recipe 

Anise and almond biscotti.Simple and Delicious Almond Biscotti.
Ingredients for anise and almond biscotti.

Biscotti ingredients.

Biscotti dough in a mixing bowl.

In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, aniseed, and salt and whisk to mix. In a medium mixing bowl combine the eggs, anise oil, and vanilla and whisk to combine. Add the melted butter and whisk once more. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and mix with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together into a rough dough.

Biscotti dough.

Biscotti dough formed and ready to bake.

Form the dough into a loaf, approximately 14 by 3 inches / 35 by 7 centimeters, on a parchment lined baking sheet. If you keep your hands damp the dough won't stick to your hands.

Baked biscotti, ready to slice.

Bake in a 375° / 190° C oven until pale golden brown.

Biscotti cut into slices.

After cooling cut into slices about 1/2 to 3/4 inches thick. 1 to 2 centimeters thick.

Arrange the biscotti, cut side down on the baking sheet.

Arrange the biscotti, cut side down on the baking sheet and return to the oven.

Biscotti cooling on a sheet pan.

Bake until they are dried through, about 40 to 50 minutes at 250 degrees F / 120 degrees C. When you touch the center slightly they should be firm and hard.

Biscotti cooling on a sheet pan.

After drying out allow the cookies to cool on a rack for a few minutes. Then remove the cookies to a wire rack and allow to cool completely. Biscotti tend to get better over time.

Biscotti on a plate.Mamma's Anise and Almond Biscotti Recipe

A Simple Italian Almond Biscotti Recipe With Anise

  • Yield: 25 to 30 biscotti
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: Varies but about 80 minutes including drying out
  • Oven: First Bake - 375° F / 190° C
  • Oven: Second Baking - 250° F / 120° C

Ingredients

  • 3 cups / 410 grams / 14-1/2 ounces all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon / 11 grams baking powder
  • 1-3/4 cups / 370 grams / 13 ounces sugar
  • 1 tablespoon / 5 grams aniseed
  • 1/2 teaspoon / 2 grams salt
  • 4 eggs
  • 5 drops anise oil
  • 1 teaspoon / 5 milliliters vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons / 45 grams / 1-1/2 ounces butter, melted
  • 1 cup / 130 grams / 4-1/2 ounces whole almonds with skin, lightly toasted , cooled, and rough chopped

Method

  1. In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, aniseed, and salt and whisk to mix.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl combine the eggs, anise oil, and vanilla and whisk to combine. Add the melted butter and whisk once more.
  3. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and mix with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together into a rough dough.
  4. Add the almonds to the dough and stir them in.
  5. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and continue mixing and kneading by hand until you have a smooth dough.
  6. Chill dough, covered, 30 minutes.
  7. Preheat oven to 375° F / 190° C, with the rack in the middle of the oven.
  8. Using moistened hands, halve dough and form into two loaves, approximately 14 by 3 inches / 35 by 7 centimeters, on a parchment lined baking sheet.
  9. Bake until pale golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove the baking sheet to a wire rack and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Carefully transfer the loaves to a rack and cool 10 minutes.
  10. Immediately after removing reduce oven temperature to 250° F /  120° C.
  11. Cut loaves into slices with a serrated knife, about 1/2 to 3/4 inch / 1 to 2 centimeters thick.
  12. 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.
  13. When cool completely, store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

  1. The length of time to dry out the biscotti will vary depending on how you like them to be. Remember, biscotti, along with a few others like castagnolli, are meant to be dunked in hot coffee. The longer they go in the oven the drier and harder they get.
  2. If you have never worked with anise oil be aware that a little goes a very long way. If you prefer you can substitute anise extract for the anise oil. If you do start with 1-1/2 teaspoons / 7.5 milliliters extract and adjust it up or down from there.
  3. Regarding the almonds you can leave them whole, or chop them, or you can chop some and leave some whole. It is an entirely personal preference, I like them either way.
  4. Regarding the oven temperature you can dry the biscotti out faster by leaving the oven temperature at the same setting as the first baking, but the biscotti tend to brown a great deal more, again personal preference.

Tags: almond biscotti recipe, anise biscotti, ricette biscotti, italian biscotti, biscotti di pasta frolla