Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Orange almond Biscottis

Hey! Its so great to be back. My vacation was great! Unfortunately, when I got home, I realized that my computer is busted. Doh. Well, guess that I will have to post on my mom's laptop till we get another computer. When everything gets straightened out I will have some cool pictures to show you! Ok, now for the good stuff. Me and my friend Liz made these orange almond biscottis. Like isn't midnight the perfect time to bake? We thought so, and it turned out awesome. These are the best biscottis ever. It was fun and simple to make too! These cooks illustrated recipes that I have been trying never cease to amaze me! The ingredients are really simple, and great! I have never made biscottis before, its a good thing that Liz is a biscotti pro!
These toasted almondsmade the kitchen smell amazing!After making the dough, you shape them into these cool logs. The dough tastes as good as the finished product, watch out!
Then you bake them once, them cut them, then bake them again!
I cant even begin to explain to you how simple and amazing these are. And, they are pretty much healthy ; )
Me and Liz cut them into small biscottis, so that you can eat a couple, instead of eating one huge one! That way, you think that your eating more, but your really not. Hehe.

Orange Almont Biscotti
Cooks Illustrated
Compliments of Liz

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 4 tbs unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp almond extract
  • 3/4 of a cup of whole almonds with skins toasted, cooled, and chopped coarse
  • 2 tbs minced orange zest (zest from like 2 oranges)
  1. Adjust middle rack to center of the oven and heat to 350 degrees.
  2. Whisk flour, salt, baking powder in a medium bowl. Either by hand, or in mixer, cream butter and sugar together until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, then extracts.
  3. Stir in almonds and zest. Sprinkle dry ingredients into egg mixture, then fold until just mixed.
  4. Halve dough and turn each portion onto oiled cookies sheet covered with parchment. Using floured hands, stretch dough into a roughly 13x2 inch log. Pat each dough shape to smooth it. Bake turning pan once until loaves are golden, and just starting to crack on top, about 35min.
  5. Cool the loaves for 10 min.Lower oven temp to 325 degrees. Cut each loaf diagonally into 3/8 inch slices with a serrated knife.
  6. Lay the slices about 1/2 inch apart, and return to the oven. Bake turning over each cookie half way through baking untill crisp and golden brown on each side, andout 15 min all together.
  7. Transfer to biscottis to a wire rack and cool completely( Biscottie can be stored in airtight container for up to 2 weeks).

19 comments:

Kitt said...

Pretty much healthy, yes! But not if you eat them all, as I would be likely to do if they looked this good.

Hope you had a nice vacation!

daphne said...

I love biscotti! I can just imagine that dipped into my morning coffee!

welcome back!

Anonymous said...

I can picture myself dunking these in coffee. They look great, glad you had a nice time.

The Peanut Butter Boy said...

Great looking biscotti! I've never made them before and only recently found out that you need to bake them twice. I wonder what it's like if you only bake once? Is it like a cookie?

- The Peanut Butter Boy

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

Hope you had a wonderful holiday Jessy:D Baking biscotti at midnight sounds like a good idea to me:D

Peter M said...

Welcome back Jess...your collaboration on biscotti worked well.

I take my coffee "double-double" please.

Anonymous said...

Always great with coffee, but the orange in these is screaming "GREAT WITH TEA" to me!

Hello, I'm Sally. said...

Welcome back! Good looking biscotti, I need some right now for my coffee!

cakewardrobe said...

This is not a good post to read in the morning when I'm hungry!!!! :) Hmm.. I need a quick fix while i'm at work. This looks so lovely!

Simply...Gluten-free said...

It is not often that I miss gluten but oh - your killing me! These look amazing.

giz said...

Holidays do give one a renewed energy to get right back to it - and so you did and even enlisted the troops (aka your friend) I make a mean chocolate hazelnut biscotti (one of Mario Batalli's recipes) - really delicious

Nina Timm said...

Baking with a friend at midnight can be fun.....I love just biscotti's and coffee after a heavy meal...

Anonymous said...

These looks great! They belong in a coffee shop! I love the smell of almonds in the house too. It's such a warm, comforting smell!

Unknown said...

welcome backkkk!!! ehmmm i might finish the dough before the tray even get anywhere near the oven wahahaha

Elle said...

I really need to make some biscotti, those look so good! It's great to have you back! Sorry about your computer.

Lori Lynn said...

The dark blue background on your first photo enhances the "baking a midnight" theme. Love it!

Emily said...

Welcome back! Your biscotti look fab. Really great for your first time.
I agree; baking at midnight rocks.

Anonymous said...

Ah, the baking at bedtime...the biscotti looks yummy, makes me want to try to bake some.

Anonymous said...

I heart biscotti! These look very good :)