ALMOND BISCOTTI - BISCOTTI AUX AMANDES

To change a little from the usual sticky, gooey and runny kinds of treats I tend to write about and in order to bring the spotlight back to a very popular Italian speciality that is crispy, totally irresistible and which I had once blogged about in 2007 (at this time, it hadn't been translated in French and it was illustrated with shamefully bad pictures - see old & scary post), I decided to share this recipe with you once again...

In Italy, these cookies are known under the name of "Cantuccini", "Cantucci" or "Biscotti Di Prato" and are traditional "Almond Biscotti" from Firenze, the capital city of Tuscany. They are twice-baked and are meant/supposed to be kept long. This is the reason why they are made with no fat and are of a harder nature.

At the origin, "Cantuccini" were flavored with aniseeds, but nowadays, many sweet and savory variants can be found (with chocolate, candied orange or lemon, raisins/currants, dried cranberries, cheese, olives, herbs, nuts of all kinds, different types of flour, etc...). All over Italy, it is a very popular bakery item, but "Biscotti" are also widely spread and much appreciated by cookie lovers all over Europe and the USA. Over the last years, they have become very trendy...

These "Almond Biscotti" always meet much success and disappear rapidly! It is no wonder considering the fact that they are crunchy to the perfection, yet not rock-hard, not overly sweet, beautifully nutty-tasting and have a delicious amaretto flavor. To top these "Almond Biscotti" have a great appearance and will make your afternoon tea table look beautiful.

Because of their firm texture, these "Almond Biscotti" are ideal for biscuit dunkers, because they can be dipped into coffee, milk, tea, liquor, wine or any other beverage in order to soften them (not my favorite way of eating them, though). I particularly recommend you to dunk them into hot chocolate sauce.

Those wonderful classic cookies will delight all foodies in search of a delicate treat to end the afternoon or dinner in beauty...

~ Almond Biscotti ~
Recipe by James McNair & Andrew Moore "Afternoon Delights" and adapted by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums 2009.

Makes about 1 dozen large biscotti.

Ingredients:
2 Cups (255g) Plain white flour
1 Cup (210g) Castor sugar
2 Tsps Baking powder
1/2 Tsp Salt
3 Large eggs (~63g), lightly beaten
1 Tsp Almond extract (see remarks)
1 Cup (160g) Whole almonds, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 150° C (300° F).
2. Line a baking tray with kitchen parchment.
3. In a big bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk to mix well.
4. Mix together the beaten eggs with the almond extract.
5. Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients in the bowl and mix well with a spoon.
6. Stir in the toasted nuts.
7. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Dust your hands with flour and gently knead it until it comes together, about 1 minute.
8. Transfer the dough to the lined baking tray and shape (with floured hands) into an even, flat rectangle about 15x23 centimeters (6 by 9 inches).
9. Transfer the baking tray to the oven (middle rack) and bake until the dough is lightly golden and feels firm when lightly touched in the center with your fingertip, about 50 minutes.
10. Remove the baking tray to a wire rack to cool for about 15 minutes.
11. Peel the dough rectangle from the parchment and transfer it to a cutting board.
12. Return the parchment to the baking tray and set aside.
13. Using a serrated knife, slice the rectangle into slices 2 centimeters wide (3/4 inches).
14. Lay the slices (with one of their cut side down), about 2.5 centimeters (1 inch) apart on the lined baking tray.
15. Return the baking tray to the oven and bake until the exposed cut sides of the slices are golden, about 20 minutes.
16. Then, turn the biscotti over, return the baking tray to the oven, and continue baking until the other exposed sides of the biscotti are golden, about 20 minutes.
17. Remove the baking tray to a wire rack to cool for a few minutes.
18. When the biscotti are cool enough to handle, transfer them directly to the rack to cool completely.

Remarks:
Instead of almonds, you can use the same quantity hazelnuts, pistachios, pine nuts or any other nuts as long as you toast them first and replace the almond extract by 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract.
It is also possible for you to replace the almond extract by the same quantity lemon or orange extract.
To toast the nuts: place them on a baking tray and transfer to an oven that has been preheated to 190° C (350° F) and toast the nuts, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and fragrant, about 10 minutes.
Once you've added the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and started mixing. The dough will be crumbly.
The kneaded dough should be sticky.
As the dough bakes, it will spread into a large, rounded rectangle.
The biscotti may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Serving suggestions:
Eat accompanied by Vin Santo, a tight expresso, ristretto or coffee.
Try dunking them into hot chocolate sauce.

****************

~ Biscotti aux Amandes ~
Recette par et adaptée par Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums 2009.

Donne environ une douzaine de gros biscotti.

Ingrédients:
2 Tasses (255g) de Farine blanche/fleur
1 Tasse (210g) de sucre cristallisé
2 CC de Poudre à lever/cake
1/2 CC de Sel
3 Gros oeufs (~63g), battus légèrement
1 CC d'Extrait d'amande amère (voir remarques)
1 Tasse (160g) d'Amandes torréfiées et grossièrement hachées

Méthode:
1. Préchauffer le four à 150° C (300° F).
2. Couvrir une plaque avec du papier sulfurisé.
3. Dans un grand bol, mettre la farine, le sucre, la poudre à lever et le sel. Bien mélanger.
4. Battre ensemble (légèrement) les oeufs et l'extrait d'amandes.
5. Ajoute les oeufs battus et bien incorporer le mélange liquide au mélange sec.
6. Incorporer les amandes.
7. Transférer la pâte sur une surface légèrement farinée et pétrir jusqu'à ce que la pâte soit homogène, pendant environ 1 minute.
8. Transférer la pâte sur la plaque et former un rectangle de 15x23 centimètres.
9. Mettre la plaque au four (milieu) et cuire pendant 50 minutes, jusqu'à ce que la pâte soit légèrement dorée et ferme au toucher (au centre surtout).
10. Retirer du four et faire refrodir pendant environ 15 minutes.
11. Enlever le papier sulfurisé et mettre la pâte sur une planche à découper.

12. Remettre le papier sulfurisé sur la plaque et mettre de côté.
13. A l'aide d'un couteau bien éguisé, couper des tranches de 2 centimètres d'épaisseur.
14. Disposer les tranches (posées à plat) sur la plaque, à une distance de 2.5 centimètres les unes des autres.
15. Mettre la plaque au four et cuire pendant 20 minutes, jusqu'à ce que le côté exposé soit doré.
16. Retourner les tranches et remettre la plaque au four pendant 20 autres minutes, jusqu'à ce que l'autre côté exposé soit doré.
17. Sortir la plaque du four et laisser refroidir quelques instants.
18. Une fois que les biscottes seront manipulables (pas trop brûlantes), transférez-les sur une grille afin qu'elles refroidissent.

Remarques:
Au lieu d'utiliser des amandes, remplacez-les par la même quantité de noisettes, pistaches, pignons ou tout autre noix de votre choix. N'oubliez pas de les torréfier avant et de remplacer l'extrait d'amande par 2 CC d'extrait de vanille pure.
Vous pouvez aussi remplacer l'extrait d'amande par la même quantité d'extrait de citron ou d'orange.
Pour torréfier les noix: Placez-les sur une plaque et enfournez-les à 190° C (350° F) pendant 10 minutes, tout en les mélangeant de temps en temps.
Une fois que vous aurez ajouté le mélange mouillé aux ingrédients secs, la pâte sera grumuleuse.
La pâte pétrie doit être collante.
Pendant la cuisson, la pâte va s'étaler en un large rectangle. C'est tout à fait normal.
Les biscotti peuvent être conservés à température ambiante, dans une boîte hermétique, pendant au moins 2 semaines.

Idées de présentation:
Servir ces biscotti avec du Vin Santo, un café, un expresso ou un ristretto.
Essayez de les tremper dans une sauce au chocolat chaude, c'est un pur bonheur!