Chocolate Almond Biscotti

"Biscotti" is the plural form of biscotto. The word originates from the medieval Latin word biscoctus, meaning "twice-cooked/baked." It defined oven baked goods that were baked twice, so they were very dry and could be stored for long periods of time. Pliny the Elder boasted that such goods would be edible for centuries. Such nonperishable food was particularly useful during journeys and wars, and twice baked breads were a staple food of the Roman Legions. -- Wikipedia

As per this wikipedia, you can make loads of these biscotti and you will be done with preparing snacks for ever as they will stay fresh forever. ha ha ha :)


Last week, I wanted to bake something new. All the recipes for cookies and cake called for loads of butter. I wanted to bake something without butter or oil!!!!! . So, I was searching on the net and landed on these biscotti recipe. As usual , I researched many recipes and mixed and matched to get the easiest possible recipe to bake these.

Ingredients:

1. All purpose flour - 13/4 cups
2. Granulated white sugar - 2/3 cup
3. Eggs (large) - 2
4. Baking Powder - 1 teaspoon
5. salt - 1/4 teaspoon
6. Almonds - 3/4 cup
7. Semi sweet chocolate chips - 2/3 cup
8. Pure Vanilla extract - 1 teaspoon

Preparation:

1. Toast the almonds in a pan for around 10 minutes, till the aroma comes.Let it cool and chop them coarsely.
2. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Beat the sugar and eggs with an electric mixer till it turns pale and fluffy.
4. Add in the vanilla extract.
5. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt using a sieve or using a whisk.
6. Add the dry ingredients to the sugar and egg mixture and mix it thoroughly.
7. Fold in the almonds and the chocolate chips.
8. Transfer the batter to a board or the cookie sheet and make a log around 4 inches wide and 12 inches long. This will be the trickiest step. 
• Flour your hands well and flour the working surface very well. The batter will be super duper sticky and I thought of ditching the whole process in between . It was that sticky :). No problem if you need to add lot of flour to your hand.It will work out well at the end.
• I transferred the batter directly to the cookie sheet and made the log directly on the sheet itself.This made my life a little easier.
• Just fan away or blow away the extra flour on the cookie sheet after finishing making the log.
9. Bake this log in the oven for about 25 to 30 minutes. The log should be firm to touch.

Baked log

Log cut into diagonal biscotti

Biscotti ready for the second baking

10. Remove the log from the oven and cool it on the wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes.

11. Once cooled, cut the log into diagonal slices of around 1/2 inch slices.

12. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degree FPlace it cut side up on the cookie sheet and bake them again for 10 minutes.
13. Turn the biscotti and bake the other side for 10 minutes.
14. The biscotti color should turn golden brown.
15. Remove and cool them on a rack till completely cooled.
16. Store them in an airtight container.
Thats it. You are done with preparing snacks for centuries!!! ;)