Recipe:: Almond Biscotti

This recipe is courtesy of Tuscan chef Guilia Scarpaleggia. Guilia has been an instructor at my style + photo workshop in Italy for two years. Here's one of her recipes for Almond Biscotti, a perfect dessert or mid-afternoon snack. It's one of my favorite simple recipes. This cookie can be dipped into Vin Santo; it's perfect with espresso or as pictured with a cappuccino. I like to make them and store them in an air tight container. They are also the perfect hostess gift. Let me know how you like them.

Almond Biscotti 

Ingredients:

2 eggs, whites, yolks separated

1 ¾ cups  sugar

4 teaspoons orange blossom honey

2 cups 0 flour sifted

½ teaspoon baking powder

Zest of 1 orange

1 cup unpeeled almonds

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the egg whites for about 5 minutes, adding the sugar in batches. It should be a glossy and thick meringue. Fold the honey into the egg yolks until completely blended. Combine the baking powder, flour, and grated orange peel, tossing to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the egg whites slowly, combining with a large spatula until incorporated. It will be a sticky dough. Finally, mix in the almonds.

Line a large baking pan with parchment paper and, with the help of a spoon, form two loaves of dough, keeping them separate, about 5 cm wide and 30 cm long. Bake them for about 15 minutes, then remove them from the oven, let cool for 5 minutes, and then cut them slantwise into 1-inch thick slices at an angle with a sharp serrated knife, then arrange them cut-side-down on the baking sheet and put them back in the oven for about 15 minutes, until toasted. You can store them in a tin for several days.

 photo: Anne Sage