I like these best with just a bit of chewiness compared to most of the commercial offerings which are often rock hard. You decide the amount of firmness you desire during the 2nd bake.
Makes about 28 biscotti
INGREDIENTS
- whole almonds: 85 g/3 oz
- sugar: 335 g/12 oz
- eggs: 3 total:. 2 whole eggs for the main recipe and 1 yolk + 1 tsp water for the egg wash
- vegetable oil: 175 ml/6 fl. oz/0.75 cup
- sour cream: 125 g/4.5 oz
- vanilla extract/paste: 1 tsp
- anise seed: 1 tsp
- all purpose flour: 550 g/20 oz + extra for flouring the work surface
- baking powder: 1 tsp
- baking soda: 1 tsp
- salt: 0.5 tsp
- whole almonds: 85 g/3 oz
- raisins: 85 g/3 oz
- parchment paper: to line the baking sheet
STEPS
- Preheat the oven to 180 C/350 F.
- Toast the almonds.
– Using the baking sheet, bake until toasted, 8-10 minutes, be careful to not burn.
– Remove from the oven, pour the almonds onto a cutting board and allow to cool.
– Keep the baking sheet, and line it with a sheet of parchment paper.
– Chop the almonds in half (no need to be precise). - Mix the sugar and wet ingredients together.
– In a large mixing bowl (use the one for your stand mixer or large enough for the entire biscotti mixture), beat together 2 of the eggs, sugar, and oil until well combined.
– Then beat in sour cream, vanilla, and anise seeds. - Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a separate bowl.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients together.
– Using a stand mixer on low speed (with the wet ingredients) or a spatula by hand, beat the dry mixture into wet mixture until mixture forms a dough.
– Then stir in nuts and raisins, and keep mixing until combined. - Rest and hydrate the flour. Cover the bowl with a towel and let them it sit for 10 minutes to allow the flour to fully hydrate with all the liquids.
- Remove the dough from the bowl onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 2 even sized pieces. (It is normal if it is quite sticky. Use a bit of flour all over each piece to help the shaping.)
- Form two logs on the baking sheet. flatten each piece into a rectangle approximately 2-2.5 cm/0.75-1″ high and 35 cm x 15 cm/14″ x 6″ in length/width.
- Brush each log with an egg wash. Create an egg wash by whisking 1 egg yolk and 1 tsp water with a fork. Brush each log with the egg wash.
- Bake #1 for about 30 minutes (start checking at 27 minutes) until pale golden, then remove from the oven. Leave the oven on.
- Cool the logs on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cutting board and cut into pieces about 2.5 cm/1″ wide.
- Bake #2.
– Turn pieces onto the cut side and return to the baking sheet.
– Bake for 5-15 minutes depending on how crunchy you like your biscotti. On the low end you will get a more soft chewy consistency and rock hard on the longer bake. I use about 8-9 minutes–crunchy but a little softness.
– Note that the biscotti will further harden when cooling down–don’t use touch as a gauge to determine your final crunchiness.
– Remove from oven and allow to cool. - Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.