Cantuccini: Classic Tuscan Biscotti

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 6 ounces whole unblanched almonds (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Recipe

• 1 you will also need: 2 cookie sheets or 2 jelly roll pans covered with parchment paper or 2 aluminum foil.
• 2 set a rack in the middle level of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
• 3 in a bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon and stir well to mix.
• 4 stir in the almonds.
• 5 in another bowl, whisk the eggs with the vanilla then use a rubber spatula to stir into the dry ingredients.
• 6 continue to stir until a stiff dough forms.
• 7 scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and divide it in half.
• 8 roll each half under the palms of your hands into a cylinder a little shorter than your baking sheet.
• 9 place the logs of dough on the baking sheet, making sure they are neither too close to each other nor to the sides of the pan.
• 10 press down gently with the palm of your hand to flatten the logs.
• 11 bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the logs are well risen and have also spread to about double their original size.
• 12 the logs are done when pressed with fingertip they feel firm.
• 13 place the pan on a rack and let the logs cool completely.
• 14 reset the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds but leave the temperature at 350 degrees.
• 15 place one of the cooled logs on a cutting board and cut it diagonally into slices 1/3-inch thick.
• 16 arrange the biscotti on the prepared pans, cut side down.
• 17 it isn't necessary to leave space between them.
• 18 bake the biscotti for about 15 or 20 minutes or until they are well toasted.
• 19 cool the pan on a rack.
• 20 store the cooled biscotti between sheets of parchment or wax paper in a tin or plastic container with a tight-fitting cover.