Almond and Orange Biscotti
These popular, oblong-shaped, Italian cookies are the ideal companion to your morning coffee or tea and the perfect ending to your meal, dipped into a sweet dessert wine (like vin santo). They are hard and crunchy because they are twice-baked and can be stored for long periods of time.
Recipes for biscotti date back centuries and the original recipes were conceived as a way to bring food along during long journeys and wars. In fact, they were believed to be a staple food of the Roman Legions.
Traditional versions of biscotti were made with hazelnut and aniseed, but are now flavored with a wide variety of other nuts, dried fruits or lemon or orange rind.
How to Make Perfect Almond and Orange Biscotti
Putting together the dough for biscotti is quite simple. Once the dough is ready, form it into four long logs, score the tops with a sharp knife (to ensure easy slicing), and then bake the logs. Once they cool down a bit, slice them, lay them on their sides and bake again.
Bake the logs until each is golden brown (the logs will spread), about 30 minutes. Cool the logs on the sheet on a rack for about 10 minutes.
Transfer the logs to a work surface. Using a serrated knife, cut the logs straight or on the diagonal into 1/2″ wide slices. Arrange the slices, cut-side down on the same baking sheets.
Bake for 12 minutes, and then turn them over. Continue baking until they are just beginning to color, about 8 minutes. Do not over bake. Transfer to a rack and cool. Enjoy!
- 1 --- egg white
- 1 cup toasted almonds
- 1 TBSP. orange extract
- 1 TBSP. orange zest
- 1 TBSP. orange liqueur (optional)
- 3 lrg. eggs, at room temperature
- 5 oz. olive oil or butter, at room temperature (1¼ sticks)
- 1½ cups sugar
- ⅓ tsp. salt
- 1 TBSP. baking powder
- 3¼ cups AP flour
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into medium bowl and set aside. Using a stand mixer, mix the sugar, olive oil or butter, eggs, orange liqueur, extract and zest. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and gently mix until well blended. Fold in the toasted almonds.
- Divide the dough equally into two halves. Using floured hands, shape each half into a 14” long by 2” wide log. Transfer both logs to the prepared baking sheet; making certain that there is space between them. Score each log at half inch intervals. Whisk the egg white in a small bowl until foamy; brush over the top and sides of each log.
- Bake the logs until each is golden brown (the logs will spread), about 30 minutes. Cool the logs on the sheet on a rack for about 10 minutes.
- Transfer the logs to a work surface. Using a serrated knife, cut the logs straight or on the diagonal into ½” wide slices. Arrange the slices, cut-side down, on the same baking sheet.
- Bake for 12 minutes, and then turn them over. Continue baking until they are just beginning to color, about 8 minutes. Do not over bake. Transfer to a rack and cool.
Bellissima! Can’t wait to try these, Marilena. I love your ‘how-to’ photos, too!
– Ratatouille
Thank you Dianne! This is such an easy recipe and it works all the time!
This one is more like my recipe I am going to try yours this time. Is your recipes are really fantastic.
Thank you Mary! Let me know how they turn out!