INGREDIENTS:
- 4 ounces blanched almonds
- 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 extra large eggs
- pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 ounces semisweet chocolate
- chips or "morsels"
- 1 extra large egg white
METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Put the almonds on a baking sheet
and bake in the oven until the nuts are golden (about 20 minutes).
Finely grind on e third of the toasted almonds and coarsely grind
the remaining almonds. Put the flour on a pastry board in a mound
and make a well in the flour. Put the finely and coarsely ground
almonds, sugar, egg salt, and baking soda in the well and mix all
of these ingredients together with a wooden spoon. Then start incorporating
the flour, little by little, until all but 2 tablespoons of the
flour has been incorporated. Knead the dough for 2 minutes; then
add the chocolate pieces, gently incorporating them into the dough
while kneading it on the leftover flour. Preheat the oven to 375
degrees. Lightly butter and flour a baking sheet. Divide the dough
into 4 pieces. With your hands, shape each piece into a long thin
roll about 1/2 inch in diameter. Place the rolls on the prepared
baking sheet. Beat the egg white slightly in a small bowl and brush
the tops of the 4 rolls with it. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the
rolls from the oven and, with along knife, cut at a 45 degree angle
(diagonally) every ½ inch to get the shape required for this
type of biscotti. Return the biscotti to the oven, lower the oven
temperature to 225 degrees, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from
the oven and let cool completely before serving. |
