Biscotti by Carole

Carole Capeloto Aiken is my big sister, an accomplished cook; she has seven grandchildren and knows how to please a crowd.  She makes these fabulous almond biscotti with no added fat, no oil, no butter, and no shortening.  We made them on Tuesday, very easy, and then, we had the inspiration to take a few and dip them in melted chocolate to see how that turned out.  This is Carole’s recipe which she perfected over the years.  She has thought through the details to achieve a certain economy, no wasting, easy clean up, and ingredients you would readily have on hand. These biscotti are perfect for dunking in coffee or tea and not to sweet. If you wan to try chocolate dipped, we melted several 72 percent dark chocolate bars and holding the tip of a biscotti with a tong, dipped it and then placed it to cool on a silpat lined cookie sheet.

5 eggs (I use extra large) less 2 tablespoons

1 and ¼ cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 cups flour plus ¼ cup

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 and 2/3 cup toasted, coarsely chopped almonds

2 baking sheets or cookie sheets lined with heavy duty foil

After checking the eggs, one by one, place them in the work bowl of a stand mixer. Mix and then, remove two tablespoons for another use.  After you remove the two tablespoons of egg, add the sugar and vanilla to the rest, and beat with the paddle attachment of the mixer. In another medium bowl stir the baking powder and flour together.  Add the flour to the work bowl of the mixer.  Turn the mixer on the lowest speed and mix to combine the flour and eggs.  When the dough is sticky and well incorporated add the last quarter cup of flour to the dough.  Lastly add the chopped almonds.  Turn mixer on low speed to distribute almonds throughout the dough.

Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and divide it in four.  Dip your fingertips in the remaining two tablespoon of egg and form four logs about 2 inches wide by 11 inches long, two logs on each foil lined cookie sheet.

Bake the biscotti in a preheated 350° F oven for about 25 minutes or until golden.  Remove the baking sheets from the oven and using a scissor cut vertically down the center of foil lining on the cookie sheets between the biscotti logs.  Lift the logs one by one using the foil as a cradle.  With a very sharp knife, I prefer serrated, slice the hot biscotti on the diagonal, about 18 or so per log.  Peel the biscotti off of the foil and place the individual sliced biscotti one by one on a clean cookie sheet.

Return the biscotti to a 300° F oven for about 40 minutes until a bit darker in color and toasted crisp through.  When cool, keep the biscotti stored in an air tight container for up to a month.  They won’t last nearly that long!  This recipe makes about 6 dozen.