These toasted almond anise biscotti are bursting with toasted almonds and subtle anise flavor. They are ideal for dunking in a cup of coffee or tea.
This is a recipe I have been tinkering with for a while. When I proudly presented one of my first batches to my father at Christmas time, he remarked that they were, dry and hard.
Hmm….I thought of biscotti as something to dip into coffee or tea, but he had another vision.
Homemade Italian biscotti are yet another treat that my Aunt Mary used to make for us, especially around Christmas. Her recipe was mixing a bit of this and that until the dough “felt” right.
Unfortunately, none of her recipes were written down. Now that she is gone, many of her delicious baked goods are only a memory. I have been on a quest to replicate some of the recipes that brought warm memories to our family especially around the holidays.
Biscotti are baked twice and this may be where I went wrong the first time when trying to reproduce Auntie’s version. I baked them too long for the second baking.
Auntie’s biscotti were softer and could be eaten as a crunchy cookie without having to dip into a beverage to soften. The longer you bake the biscotti the second time, the harder they are.
Tips for Making Almond Anise Biscotti
This toasted almond anise biscotti recipe is inspired by Auntie’s biscotti. She made them quite large as compared to modern coffee shop biscotti. These can be enjoyed as a crisp cookie, or they can be baked longer the second time for a firmer biscotti that stands up to dipping into your beverage of choice.
Step 1: After mixing your ingredients, form the dough into the shape of a log and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Wet your hands and pat the dough into a 4 x 12 inch dome shaped slab.
Step 2: Bake until brown and firm when you touch the top with your finger. Remove the biscotti from the oven and let it cool until you can handle it.
Step 3: Place the loaf on a cutting board. Use a serrated knife and slice into 1/2-inch wide biscotti.
Step 4: For a firm biscotti, place the slices cut side down on the baking sheets, and bake again until desired crispness.
Toasted Almond Anise Biscotti
Ingredients
- 1 cup almonds raw whole natural
- 2 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon anise extract
- 1 teaspoon crushed anise seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Toast your almonds by placing them in a skillet over medium heat until the almonds are fragrant and golden brown. Stir them frequently so they brown on all sides and remove any that brown quicker than others. It should take about 3-5 minutes. Remove the toasted almonds from the heat, wrap them in a kitchen towel, and crush them with a meat mallet.
- Preheat your oven to 350˚F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the crushed almonds, flour, baking powder, and salt to a large bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer, beat the eggs, sugar, almond extract, anise extract, and optional anise seeds on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the flour mixture a little at a time. If the mixer begins to strain, work the rest of the flour in with a wooden spoon or your hands. The dough will be firm and sticky.
- Gather the mixture into a log shape and place it in the center of the prepared baking sheet. Wet your hands and pat the dough into a 4 x 12 inch dome shaped slab.
- Bake in preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until brown and firm when you touch the top with your finger. Remove the biscotti from the oven and let it cool. Reduce your oven heat to 300˚F.
- Once the biscotti slab is cool enough to handle, transfer it to a cutting board. Use a serrated knife and slice into 1/2-inch wide biscotti. Place slices cut side down on the baking sheets, and bake again until desired crispness. If you want softer biscotti, bake about 8 minutes on each side. If you are aiming for harder biscotti that will stand up to dunking, bake about 20 minutes on each side. Let the biscotti cool completely on the baking sheets or a wire cooling rack. Store in a metal tin. Makes about 16 biscotti.
Nutrition
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Rochelle says
Ok, first of all I don’t want them so hard they can’t be enjoyed w/out dunking, but hard enough to dunk. And secondly, I saw a recipe that bakes in loaf pans so as not to over-spread. Is it feasible to use this recipe in this manner? Thanx!
©Rachel Arsenault says
Rochelle, I haven’t used a loaf pan for this recipe, so I can’t advise how it will do. I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. Please let me know if you try it.
Carmela says
Amazing recipe. I tried making it today for the first time and the biscotti came out great
Raia Todd says
I’ve always wanted to try making biscotti! These look delicious!
Araucano says
May I use whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour?
Many thanks……..Araucano.
©Rachel Arsenault says
Araucano, Yes, you can use whole wheat flour.
Araucano says
Hello and thanks for a healthy and authentic italian recipe.I’m planning to try it in the near future.
Close to the original that could be kept for months.Your website is much appreciated,Good luck.araucano.
Courtney says
Thanks for the recipe. I have not yet tested it because there is no OIL NOR BUTTER in it. Did you accidentally omit the oil these normally have in them? Please let me know assap. I know they are supposed to be hard dry cookies but I have yet to see a biscotti recipe devoid of either oil or butter.
Also, the COOKING TIME does not match the times listed in the directions. 50 mins plus either 16 mins or 40 mins would be either 66 mins or 90 mins, not 1 hour.
Thanks AGAIN for sharing this.
©Rachel Arsenault says
Courtney, The recipe is correct — no oil or butter. This recipe will result in a firm, dry biscotti that is suitable for dunking. This is a recipe that is very well tested. I use it often throughout the year. Thank you for letting me know about the cooking time, I did adjust and included the maximum time estimate.