Lenox Almond Biscotti

Dipped in coffee, covered in chocolate, or eaten plain, these biscotti are simply delicious.

Everyone knows you shouldn’t test new recipes when you go to a dinner party. You should bring dishes that are standbys, classics that everyone loves. I broke that rule last weekend, but I think I survived.

John and I were invited to a friend’s place for dinner, which is typically code for “Ari should bake something.” With four children involved (not mine, of course!), I had planned on making something peanut buttery. After learning that sweets are normally reserved for special occasions in their house, I decided on some simple almond cookies. How much damage could a little sugar and almonds do?

What you’ll need:

Directions
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Add the cornmeal and whisk again to blend.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together at medium speed for 3 minutes, until very smooth.

Add the eggs and continue to beat, scraping down the bowl as needed, for another 2 minutes, or until the mixture is light, smooth and creamy.

Beat in the almond extract.

Reduce the mixer to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they are incorporated.

You’ll have a soft stick-to-your-fingers dough that will ball up around the paddle or beaters.

Scrape down the paddle and bowl, toss in the almonds and mix just to blend.

Scrape half the dough onto one side of the baking sheet. Using your fingers and a rubber spatula or scraper, work the dough into a log about 12 inches long and 1 ½ inches wide. The log will be more rectangular than domed, and bumpy, rough and uneven. Form a second log with the remaining dough on the other side of the baking sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes, or until the logs are lightly golden but still soft and springy to the touch. Transfer the baking sheet to a rack and cool the logs on the baking sheet for 30 minutes.

If you turned off the oven, bring it back up to 350 degrees F.

Using a wide metal spatula, transfer the logs to a cutting board and, with a long serrated knife, trim the ends and cut the logs into ¾-inch-thick slices. Return the slices to the baking sheet – this time standing them up like a marching band – and slide the baking sheet back in the oven.

I’ve never heard of turning biscotti on their side “like a marching band,” but I’m pretty sure this is what she meant (see below). Forgot to take a “before” picture.. sorry!

Bake the biscotti for another 15 minutes, or until they are golden and firm. Transfer them to racks and cool to room temperature.

In general, I think of biscotti as dry cookies that are sometimes hard to bite into to. Not these. They were softer than most, a little chewy, and oh, that almond extract! Really delicious.. but how would the kids like them?

These were a huge hit. The kids were running around, eating their biscotti with smiles on their faces, and the youngest (8 years old) kept saying, “these cookies are evil.” I aim to please.

This recipe is famous in the blogging world, and for good reason. I can’t wait to play with different ingredients and bring more evilness to my friends and family.