Almond Biscotti
Quick answer
Biscotti - meaning 'twice-cooked' in Italian - originated in the Tuscan city of Prato, where they have been produced since at least the 14th century.
What makes this special
- Almond Biscotti are twice-baked for a hard snap that holds up when dipped into hot coffee.
- Double baking at 170 then 150 degrees drives out all moisture for snap
- Whole almonds deliver nutty bitterness against vanilla-lemon dough
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Preheat the oven to 170°C and prepare a baking sheet.
- 2 Place 3 eggs and 150g sugar in a bowl and whisk lightly, avoiding excess foam.
- 3 Sift in the 250g all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
Biscotti - meaning 'twice-cooked' in Italian - originated in the Tuscan city of Prato, where they have been produced since at least the 14th century. They were originally designed as provisions for long sea voyages: the double baking drives out nearly all moisture, producing a cookie that resists spoilage for weeks without refrigeration. The dough is shaped into a flat log and baked once until firm throughout, then sliced on the diagonal and returned to the oven at a lower temperature until each piece is completely dry and hard. Whole almonds embedded in the crumb provide a contrasting crunch and a toasted, slightly bitter quality that plays against the vanilla-scented dough. The result is deliberately too hard to eat comfortably on its own - biscotti are made to be dipped. Dunked into espresso, Vin Santo, or strong black coffee, the outer layer softens immediately while the dense interior holds its structure, creating a texture that alternates between giving and crisp with each bite. In Prato, where the cookie is also called 'cantuccini' or 'pratesi,' the traditional pairing is with locally produced Vin Santo dessert wine.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Prep
Preheat the oven to 170°C and prepare a baking sheet.
Toast the 120g whole almonds for about 5 minutes, just until fragrant, then let them cool so they stay crisp in the dough.
- 2Season
Place 3 eggs and 150g sugar in a bowl and whisk lightly, avoiding excess foam.
Add the vanilla extract and lemon zest, then mix until the aroma is evenly distributed through the egg mixture.
- 3Season
Sift in the 250g all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add the cooled almonds and fold with a spatula only until no dry flour remains, keeping the dough dense rather than elastic.
- 4Heat
Divide the dough in two and shape each piece into a flat log about 5cm wide.
Place them apart on the baking sheet and bake at 170°C for 25 minutes, until firm and pale golden.
- 5Prep
Remove the logs and cool them for 10 minutes so the crumb stabilizes.
Do not slice while very hot, or they may crumble; use a serrated knife to cut diagonal 1.5cm slices.
- 6Finish
Arrange the slices again with the cut sides facing up.
Bake at 150°C for 15-20 minutes to drive off moisture, then cool completely and serve with espresso or Vin Santo.
After the steps
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