What’s a cookie made just for coffee and without butter? Said in my best Giada voice…Biscotti. If I am to be honest, I never knew or realized that biscotti were butterless, probably because I hear the word “cookie” and nothing else matters. When my fiancé’s office decided to have an Italian themed Christmas party this past week, I instantly volunteered to make desserts for him. I have the most perfect biscotti recipe, which I jazzed up with some toasted almonds and chocolate. “All I want is a latté to go with these”—Roberto’s boss post-party. Instantly excited by this comment, I just knew it was the next recipe that needed to be shared with all of you!
Ingredients
1 cup toasted, chopped almonds (or any nuts will do)
To do so, preheat oven to 350 F, put the nuts on a sheet pan in the oven for about 10-15 minutes. You’ll know that they are finished because when you open the oven, the wonderfully toasty smell will fill your kitchen. Another way is to just grab one off of the pan and eat it! Once they are cool, coarsely chop them and set aside.
Flour--1 2/3 cup
Baking Soda--1/2 tsp
Salt--1/4 tsp
Eggs--2
Whiskey--2 tsp
Vanilla--1 tsp
Sugar--3/4 cup
Chocolate chips--3/4 cup (I actually do two handfuls...)
Let's get baking!
Lower the oven temperature to 300 F.
Sift together flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
In the bowl of your mixer, beat the eggs, whiskey, vanilla and sugar together.
Once this has combined nicely, slowly add the dry ingredients, including the chopped nuts, to the sugar and egg mixture.
Only mix until combined, the rest can be done by hand.
Take half of the dough, which you will see, holds together nicely when pressed, and put it on a pan sprayed with Pam. Form into logs about ½” high and 3” wide. Do the same to the second half of the dough.
Put into the preheated oven and let bake about 35 minutes,
Take out of oven to let cool.
Once cooled, cut the biscotti into 1” thick pieces, either straight across or diagonally, depending on what you prefer.
Lay on their sides and bake for another 15 minutes, or until they are slightly browned.
Remove from pan onto cooling rack. Once cool they can be stored for about a month in an airtight container, or about a week if you live with me!
