Go Back
Print
Traditional Italian Biscotti

Vittoria's Traditional Italian Biscotti with Almonds and Orange Zest

This traditional almond orange biscotti recipe is not your generic hard as a rock twice baked biscuit. This is a tender melt-in-your-mouth from Vittoria's classic Italian kitchen to yours.
Course Cookie
Cuisine Canadian Italian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 34 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 3 doz
Author Valerie Lugonja via Vittoria Donadeo

Ingredients

  • 1 large orange
  • 2 cups whole bark on almonds
  • 1 cup butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder (sifted through the sugar)
  • 2 whole large eggs
  • 1 yolk (white optional, below)
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt (sifted through flour)
  • 1 teaspoon excellent quality vanilla or vanilla paste

Instructions

Instructions for Orange Peel and Almonds

  1. Using peeler, peel orange without any white pith; slice peels into slivers or threads then slice into 1-2 centimeter lengths

  2. Set aside in small bowl

  3. Toast whole almonds, watching very carefully and stirring constantly until fragrant and starting to brown

  4. Set aside in bowl

Instructions for Biscotti

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350F

  2. Place butter in large bowl, adding 1 cup sugar, and baking powder; mix at medium speed until thick and frothy and sugar is completely dissolved

  3. Whisk in eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla extract

  4. Sift salt and flour into large bowl over wet ingredients; add almonds and orange peel and fold ingredients together by hand with wooden spoon until completely combined (the mixture will be very thick)

  5. Weigh dough mass; divide by 4 and portion into 4 equal pieces; shape into 4 loaf-like logs (each weighs about 340 grams)

  6. Place each log onto parchment paper covered cookie sheet; gently flatten with palm

  7. Optional: whisk water and egg white; brush each loaf with mixture and sprinkle tops of loaves with 2 tablespoons of regular or course sugar (we preferred it without sugar)

  8. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes; watch that they don’t brown too much as they will be baked again.

  9. Remove from oven; do not remove from cookie sheets until completely cooled as loaves are very delicate at this stage and will break

  10. Adjust oven temperature to 325F

  11. Once completely cooled, carefully place on cutting board and cut into ½ inch slices with a very sharp knife

  12. Place slices on cookie sheet standing up, not laid on side; bake at 325 F for 7 minutes, turn sheets around in oven and bake 7 more minutes, ensuring cookies do not brown further*

  13. Remove to a wire rack to cool

Instructions for Using Thermomix

  1. Weigh butter, sugar and baking powder into TM bowl; cream together for 5 minutes at speed 4 until thick and frothy and sugar is completely dissolved

  2. Add vanilla, salt, eggs and yolk to TM bowl; whisk together for 30 seconds at speed 4

  3. Remove ingredients from TM bowl into large bowl; continue as per #4 above

Recipe Notes

*every oven is different; 8-9 minutes of baking before turning sheet may be required