Recipe| Ingredients | | | 1 | cup | sugar | | | 1/2 | cup | butter, sweet, melted | | | 3 | tablespoon | brandy | | | 1 | teaspoon | vanilla | | | 1 | teaspoon | almond extract | | | 1 | cup | almonds, unsalted, chopped | | | 3 | each | eggs | | | 2 1/2 | cup | flour | | | 1/2 | tablespoon | baking powder | | | 1/4 | teaspoon | salt | | | | | |
Directions:
| Preheat oven to 350~. Mix sugar with butter, brandy, vanilla, almond
extract, nuts and eggs. Mix well.
Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Form into a long loaf (or
loaves), place on a cookie sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes or until
firm and softly cakelike. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
When cool enough to handle, slice into 1/2 inch diagonal slices and
return to cookie sheet. Bake for 15-25 miutes, turning once, until
both sides are brown-flecked and toasted. Cool thoroughly and store
in an airtight jar.
Makes 2-3 dozen.
Variation 1 (Mandlebrot): increase sugar to 1-1/4 cups. Diced dried
apricots may by added.
Variation 2: for a clasic anise-flavored biscotto, substitute Pernod,
Ouzo or Anisette for the brandy and omit the almond extract. Several
tablespoons of anise seeds may be added for additional oomph.
Variation 3 (Hazelnut biscotti): use hazelnuts in place of almonds. A
hazelnut liqueur may be used instead of brandy. Omit the almond
extract.
Variation 4 (Mediterranean biscotti): use rosewater instead of brandy.
Substitute unsalted pistachio nuts for the almonds, and add 1/4 - 1/2
cup diced figs to the dough.
Variation 5 (ginger-flavored biscotti): to the basic dough, add 1 Tbsp
powdered ginger, a generous dash of cloves and cinnamon, 1 or 2 Tbsp
of candied ginger and 1/4 cup raisins, if desired. Omit the almond
extract.
Variation 6 (Paximatha): this Greek rusk dates back to the 5th
century, virtually unchanged. Substiture 1/2 to 3/4 cup toasted
sesame seeds for the almonds. Omit the almond extact and flavor the
dough with 1 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 tsp cloves.
Variation 7 (Fekkas): a Moroccon twice-baked cookie. Substitute
orange flower water for the brandy.
Variation 8; Pine nuts may be used instead of almonds, though the
richness may be less desirable than the crunch of the toasted
almonds. Candied fruits, too, may be added, 1/4 to 1/2 cup assorted
fruits blended into the dough before baking.
Variation 9 (chocolate Dipped): melt 1/2 pound semi-sweet chocolate
in the top of a double boiler over just simmering water. If it
'seizes' or 'tightens', add 2 Tbsp of unsalted buter and it should
smooth out again. Dip only one side of each cookie (the chocolate
won't seal in the moisture that way).
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