Almond Vanilla Biscotti

As my blog title suggests, I love coffee, and what would be better complement to a tasty foamy latte than a delicious homemade biscotti. This recipe is from one of my husbands favorite cook book The Joy of Cooking. I have had to play around with the temperatures and times since my oven has a mind of its own so if it doesn't turn out right the first time, don't fret, I burned my first batch.

I also like to sprinkle some decorative clear sugar on top to make it look fancy!

Almond Biscotti

1 cup (145 grams) whole almonds

1 tsp (5 grams) baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour

2/4 cup (150 grams) sugar

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Toast almonds for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant. Let cool and then chop coarsely.

Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl lightly beat the eggs and extracts together.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer) combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Beat until blended (about 30 seconds). Gradually add the egg mixture and beat until a dough forms, adding almonds about halfway through. On a lightly floured surface roll dough into a log about 14 inches (35 cm) long and 3 - 4 inches (8 - 10 cm) wide. Transfer log to the prepared baking sheet and bake for 30 -40 minutes, or until firm to the touch (log will spread during baking). Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes.

Transfer log to a cutting board and, using a serrated knife, cut log into slices 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thick on the diagonal. Arrange evenly on baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes, turn slices over, and bake another 10 minutes or until firm to the touch. Remove from oven and let cool. Store in an airtight container.