Biscotti

Sandy's Biscotti

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 1/2 - 3 cups flour
1 cup butter
1 cup toasted almonds
3 teaspoons baking powder
3 teaspoons vanilla

Cream shortening and sugar, add eggs one at a time - beat - add vanilla - sift dry ingredients 3 times - add nuts - beat in flour mixture and roll and cut in three pieces.  Put on greased cookie sheet and bake 25 minutes at 350.  Remove from oven and let cool for five minutes.  Cut into strips and sit on side and brown, repeat on other side.
  

Chewy Almond Biscotti

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
3 Tbsp butter, softened
2 eggs beaten with 3 Tbsp vanilla extract
3 cups whole almonds (skins still on)
Egg wash (egg mixed with a little water)

Equal amounts of sugar and flour results in chewier biscotti.  
Preheat oven to 325 to 350 degrees.

Mix the sugars, flour, baking powder, butter, and almonds in the bowl of a stand mixer, or mix by hand in a large bowl. Add the eggs with vanilla as the mixture goes around.

Take the sticky mass out and divide it into 3 sections, rolling each into a log, flattened just a bit, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. You should wind up with 3 logs. It's better to split them between two baking sheets because they spread out slightly while baking. Paint with egg wash.

Bake in a preheated 325 to 350 degree oven until firm but not too hard, cover with foil if they brown too fast. Begin checking after 20 minutes; it may take up to 30 or even 45 minutes.
Remove from oven and let rest for several minutes until they are firm enough to slice on the diagonal. Too little resting time will cause them to break apart while slicing; too long of a resting time will make them difficult to cut without a chainsaw.

The number of biscotti will vary depending on the size of the log and how thick you make your slices. 1 inch wide slices makes about 30 biscotti.

Chocolate Dip, optional:
The original recipe is for plain almond biscotti, but my mother-in-law made chocolate-dipped ones this time. If you'd like to dip them in chocolate, then pour a 1 pound bag of bittersweet chocolate chips (or chocolate of your choice) in a double boiler over low heat (if it's too hot, it will cook the chocolate). As soon as the chocolate begins to melt, remove it from the heat and stir with a spoon until it becomes silky. Dip the bottom of the biscotti in the chocolate, letting any excess drip back into the bowl, then place on a rack (with parchment paper or foil underneath it for easy clean-up). You may use a little less or a little more chocolate, depending on how many biscotti you slice. Allow the chocolate to harden completely before removing from rack.

This recipe (Chewy Almond Biscotti) is from Scialo Brothers Bakery in Providence, RI revised and omitted cinnamon.