how to not screw it up
You know what I don't like? Those crappy biscotti at coffee shops that have no love and are not even crispy. Wouldn't it be nice if you could just make it yourself, instead of buying it? oh wait...you can!
Biscotti means twice baked in Italian. You bake the log, cut it and then bake the pieces again. You can add all sorts of flavour combinations to it for whatever suites you the best that day. You can garnish it however you want and dip it in your afternoon espresso
Here is the thing I think people are afraid of when they make it. Cooking the dough long enough. It should be crispy people...crispy! If a recipe says a baking time and you look at what your baking in the oven and it doesn't look done, then leave it longer. Leave it longer guys. Don't doubt yourself in the kitchen and think that because the recipe had a baking time you have to stick to it. You don't. If it's not golden brown yet...then let it goooooo
With that being said, here is a basic biscotti that will make you never buy them at a bakery again. It's pretty easy once you get the hang of it, so i'm sure you will have no troubles getting into this guy. Let me know what you guys think!
Mom's Biscotti
Ingredients
2 cups chopped, roasted almonds, skin on
3 cups all purpose flour
1.5 cups sugar
3 whole eggs
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
zest of clementine
250g semi sweet chocolate
Method
1. Preheat oven to 350 F and toast almonds until they begin to brown. Once cool, using a food processor, pulse until the nuts are chopped (they should be a chunky consistency still)
2. Using a mixer, cream eggs and sugar until they are a pale yellow colour
3. Add melted butter, clementine zest and spices
4. Add in flour in stages, until a dough mixture is formed (the dough will be quite wet, so don't worry)
5. Fold in the chopped nuts
6. Divide dough in 2 and place on a baking sheet with parchment paper
7. Press dough into long rectangles that are the length of the baking sheet
*You can use a butter knife that has been wet with some water to help you form it. This way your hands won't become sticky. Just make tiny taps and run it down the sides
8. Brush tops of the loaves with water and sprinkle with some sugar (this makes a crunchier crust)
9. Bake for 30 minutes, until it starts to become golden brown in colour
10. Remove loaves from the tray onto a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes
11. Cut on a bias into thin pieces and place them back onto the baking sheet. Make sure to space them out evenly on the baking sheet or they will not cook evenly. Don't let the pieces touch!
12. Bake for another 25 minutes or until they become crispy all around
13. While the cookies are cooling, melt the chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave if you don't have a stainless steal bowl
14. When cookies have completely cooled, drizzle the melted chocolate using a spoon and place in the fridge so the chocolate sets. You can also store them in a cool place if you do not have room for them in the fridge
Buon Appetito!
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