Every year of my adult life I’ve made my Italian Great Grandmothers’ Almond Biscotti around the holidays, and before then I would make it with my mom, along with a long list of other cookies, each Christmas. It’s a tradition that warms my heart. As a kid I thought they were a weird, adult cookie: hard and with no icing – gross! Of course (maybe because I am an adult), I now love them. Eating them as they are and dipping them in coffee (where they really shine). I add my own Pacific Northwest twist – fresh roasted hazelnuts instead of almonds, and they are so dang good. I love wrapping them up with twine and gifting them each year. So much so that now they are expected, which means I’ll have to make them forever, which I am okay with. This year I had some help in the kitchen from my L, only 20 months. She stands on her Ikea step stool and it is the perfect height for her to watch me and get her hands dirty too (which she does!). Without further ado, the recipe and a few photos too.
Great Grandma Toia’s Italian Almond (Hazelnut) Biscotti
4 – 4 1/2 Cups Flour
1 Tbs. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 Cup (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter
1 Cup White Sugar (I use raw cane sugar)
1 Cup Brown Sugar (I like dark brown)
4 eggs (room temp), 1 egg to be separated yolk/white and set aside
1 Tbs. Vanilla, Almond or Hazelnut extract (I use Vanilla, because I always have it on hand)
2 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Ground Cloves
1 Cup finely chopped Almonds or Hazelnuts (really any nuts)
TOPPING
OPTIONAL: Crushed Peppermint Candy and Nuts
OPTIONAL: 1 Cup Dark or Milk Chocolate Chips
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 325 F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
In large bowl mix 4 cups of the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and cloves. Set aside.
In bowl of electric mixer beat butter, both sugars, 3 eggs (one egg at a time), until well mixed.
Separate remaining egg white and yolk, and set white aside. Mix in small bowl the yolk and vanilla extract – then add to butter mixture. I don’t know if this pre-mixing vanilla is necessary, but I just follow the recipe from my Grandma!
Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture until combined. Add in nuts at the very end.
Divide dough into two equal portions and make a ball. Place each ball on a cookie sheet and form into a long loaf/log. Brush the top of each with egg white.
Bake each loaf for 30 minutes or until slightly browned. I put them both in the oven on different racks and switch them half way though baking as my oven bakes items on the bottom faster.
Let cool slightly and then slice each loaf (like you would a loaf of bread) into 1″ slices. If you are giving them out with a cookie tray, you might want to cut them in half as well so you have more to give. Place slices cut side up and bake for 15 minutes on each side.
Let cool and if you like, drizzle melted chocolate (I melt dark chocolate chips in 1 minute increments on 50% power in the microwave), over the pieces and top with extra chopped nuts and/or crushed peppermint candy.
Bag and tie with some festive twine, rosemary sprig and some simple labels (I made mine with these kraft labels and a sharpie).
Yum! I hope you and yours enjoy!
