These twice-baked Italian cookies have a generous amount of grated orange peel for flavor, plus ground almonds and pecans stirred into the dough.
Ingredients:
* 3 1/2 cups Gold Medal all-purpose flour
* 2 cups sugar
* 4 eggs
* 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) fresh grated orange peel
* 3 teaspoons vanilla extract (can substitute 1-1/2 teaspoon almond extract plus 1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract)
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup butter
* 1-1/2 cup almonds, grind medium to fine
* 1-1/2 cup pecans, grind medium to fine
Method
Combine butter, sugar, orange peel and vanilla in a large bowl. Mix until light and fluffy. Mix eggs in one at a time. Reduce speed to low, add nuts and mix. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Add flour mixture and mix just until combined. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Divide dough in quarters. Using lightly floured hands, roll each quarter on a lightly floured surface into a log 1 1/2 inches in diameter; these should be almost the length of the baking sheet. Arrange 2 logs on a parchment-covered baking sheet. Bake until lightly browned and firm to touch, about 30 minutes. Logs will spread during baking. Remove from oven and allow too cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Leave oven set at 350 degrees. Using a spatula carefully transfer logs to a work surface. Cut biscotti logs into 3/4-inch wide slices with a serrated knife, or an electric carving knife. Arrange slices, cut side down, on baking sheet, and bake for 15-20 minutes, turning once. Allow cookies to cool on baking racks. To frost, melt some white chocolate chips or white almond bark in a double broiler, add 1 tablespoon fresh grated orange peel. Thin the chocolate slightly with water. Dip tops of cookies and arrange on parchment paper-covered baking sheet and allow them to cool for 3-4 hours to set.
Notes: DO NOT SUBSTITUTE OTHER FLOUR. Store the biscotti in an airtight container, in layers with parchment paper between each layer, at room temperature up to 2 weeks.
Number of servings: Makes about 6 dozen cookies
Ingredients:
* 3 1/2 cups Gold Medal all-purpose flour
* 2 cups sugar
* 4 eggs
* 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) fresh grated orange peel
* 3 teaspoons vanilla extract (can substitute 1-1/2 teaspoon almond extract plus 1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract)
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup butter
* 1-1/2 cup almonds, grind medium to fine
* 1-1/2 cup pecans, grind medium to fine
Method
Combine butter, sugar, orange peel and vanilla in a large bowl. Mix until light and fluffy. Mix eggs in one at a time. Reduce speed to low, add nuts and mix. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Add flour mixture and mix just until combined. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Divide dough in quarters. Using lightly floured hands, roll each quarter on a lightly floured surface into a log 1 1/2 inches in diameter; these should be almost the length of the baking sheet. Arrange 2 logs on a parchment-covered baking sheet. Bake until lightly browned and firm to touch, about 30 minutes. Logs will spread during baking. Remove from oven and allow too cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Leave oven set at 350 degrees. Using a spatula carefully transfer logs to a work surface. Cut biscotti logs into 3/4-inch wide slices with a serrated knife, or an electric carving knife. Arrange slices, cut side down, on baking sheet, and bake for 15-20 minutes, turning once. Allow cookies to cool on baking racks. To frost, melt some white chocolate chips or white almond bark in a double broiler, add 1 tablespoon fresh grated orange peel. Thin the chocolate slightly with water. Dip tops of cookies and arrange on parchment paper-covered baking sheet and allow them to cool for 3-4 hours to set.
Notes: DO NOT SUBSTITUTE OTHER FLOUR. Store the biscotti in an airtight container, in layers with parchment paper between each layer, at room temperature up to 2 weeks.
Number of servings: Makes about 6 dozen cookies