Biscotti for the Holidays
If you’re still searching for great holiday cookies that pack a wallop, look impressive and aren’t a chore to bake, look no further than “Brown Sugar and Almond Biscotti.”
These elegant, golden cookies are studded with slivered almonds, along with light brown sugar that gives them a little more tenderness.
With a crunchy texture from twice-baking, they hold up to dunking in a good cup of espresso, too.
The biscotti recipe is from the new “San Francisco Entertains,” a cookbook that celebrates the centennial of the Junior League of San Francisco. It’s the organization’s first book in 11 year.
With nearly 150 recipes, the cookbook is a culinary romp through the Bay Area with the flavors and dishes that make this region the darling of foodies. It features recipes from local foodies, as well as top chefs and restaurants such as Swan Oyster Depot, Gary Danko Restaurant, and Greens Restaurant.
All proceeds from the sale of the book will support the Junior League of San Francisco’s efforts to support families in need.
Brown Sugar and Almond Biscotti
(Makes about 30)
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups slivered almonds
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Whisk flour with brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Combine eggs, butter and extracts in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Stir in almonds. Stir into the flour mixture; mix well.
Knead lightly on a lightly floured surface until mixture forms a dough. Shape into two 4-by-10-inch logs with moistened fingers. Place on baking sheets lined with baking parchment. Bake for 45 minutes or until firm and golden brown.
Reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees. Cool logs on baking sheets for 10 minutes. Remove to a cutting board and remove baking parchment from the baking sheets. Cut logs diagonally into 3/4-inch slices with a serrated knife. Arrange cut side down on baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes on each side or until dry.
From “San Francisco Entertains”
More Cookie Recipes: Pinched Orange Macaroons
More: The Essential Crunchy Oatmeal Cookie
More: Biscotti Regina
More: Ad Hoc Chocolate Chip Cookies
More: Peanut Butter Cookies with Milk Chocolate Chunks
More: Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies
More: Italian Macaroons
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Tuesday, 30. November 2010 6:16
Beautiful biscotti and cookies! That is a speciality that is very successful at home.
Cheers,
Rosa
Tuesday, 30. November 2010 7:08
What a fantastic cookbook, I really love reading about regional fare. And I’ve been dying to make biscotti! They’re perfect for this time of year when you can expect unexpected visitors to pop up!
Tuesday, 30. November 2010 7:09
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Tuesday, 30. November 2010 8:43
Wow, that looks like a great biscotti and a great book in general!
Tuesday, 30. November 2010 9:21
Love biscotti all year round. There is a great little company in Redwood City that supplies a lot of the local grocery stores. It’s called La Biscotteria on El Camino Real. They also make an awesome panetone bread!
Tuesday, 30. November 2010 9:36
Those are some picture perfect biscotti. Should be an interesting cookbook to read and cook from.
Tuesday, 30. November 2010 9:49
BIscotti is totally perfect for the holidays especially as a gift since they’re sturdy enough for transportation! I was actually planning on making some Gingerbread flavored ones but you might have changed my mind.
Tuesday, 30. November 2010 9:51
Biscotti has always been the type of cookies I think I would really like, but never have the courage to make. It might be time for me to pull myself together and try! The biscotti shot is simply lovely!
Tuesday, 30. November 2010 13:55
well hello ms food gal…i’ve been so absent and missed many a good reads from you. i’m here to catch up…pass me some of those bicotti
Wednesday, 1. December 2010 2:40
Great idea for a Christmas gift! I’m seeing delicious biscotti everywhere today!
Wednesday, 1. December 2010 8:59
The biscotti looks fantastic. These are great for gift giving!
Wednesday, 1. December 2010 17:09
I love almond biscotti, and I love the idea of adding brown sugar. Thanks for the review!
Wednesday, 1. December 2010 17:57
I love biscotti. I always have some for breakfast on Christmas morning with some tea. It’s tradition
Wednesday, 1. December 2010 20:29
Megan: Wow! I like your idea of holiday breakfast.
Wednesday, 1. December 2010 22:19
biscotti makes a great gift, especially if the usps is involved. they’re sturdy little suckers and always tend to survive the journey.
Thursday, 2. December 2010 2:58
Carolyn, I love Biscotti and make a variety of biscotti every Christmas for family & friends. I’m anxious to try this one. If you want my other recipes let me know (Lemon poppyseed, Lemon almond, Orange pecan, Chocolate walnut, and Double chocolate) I also provided these for the restaurants that I used to bake for.
Saturday, 26. February 2011 17:41
Nice recipe, pity I never got a chance to eat it.
I guess that using those oven temperatures in Fahrenheit instead of Celsius would have resulted in a blithering idiot like me not practically burning down his apartment.
Thanks for the lesson learned… I think
Monday, 7. November 2011 9:07
[...] I might just be able to create a market for them. Who knows. The biscotti I liked were these, these turned out like one giant cookie patty, which although interesting and not bad-tasting, was not [...]