<these are the perfect, giftable treat>
Is there anything better than making a recipe by heart? It’s one of my favorite small victories in life. I love being able to put my brain on autopilot and just bake (or cook) without having to worry about too much of this or perfect measurements of that. This is one I will guarantee you’ll learn by heart very quickly.
I knew I wanted to make biscotti for mother’s day, especially knowing that my mom is ritualistic about her coffee. While it’s quickly poured into her travel mug during the work week, weekend mornings move a little slower at home. Coffee is usually accompanied by a small, sweet treat before breakfast. Think of it as a sort of breakfast aperitivo.
In Italian, the word biscotti literally means “twice baked,” which is exactly how to earn that crispness biscotti is so famous for.
What You’ll Need:
2 1/4 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
7oz (1 tube) Almond Paste
1/2 stick butter, chilled
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp almond extract
1 cup cherries (if they’re dried, soak in hot water for 10 minutes)
The How To:
- Preheat your oven to 350°f. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda until well combined.
- Grate almond paste and chilled butter into flour mixture. Mix well with fork or pastry blender until crumbly.
- Whisk eggs and almond extract and add to flour mixture. Add cherries. Mix until dough holds together. Turn out onto a lightly floured counter. Don’t be afraid to knead with your hands a bit. I always have better luck with this dough when I use my hands instead of solely mixing with a fork.
- Manipulate the dough into a 2″ thick log. Cut in half and roll each piece 10″ long. Flatten to 3/4″ thick loaves and slightly rounding the end.
- Carefully transfer to cookie sheet. Bake 30 minutes (or until firm to the touch.) Cool on wire rack for 15 minutes.
- Drop temp to 300°f. Cut loaves into 3/4″ diagonal slices. Return slices to oven and bake for 20 minutes more.
- Cool completely and enjoy!!
Cheers!
