CHERRY ALMOND BISCOTTI
Ingredients
2-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour; more as needed
1 cup sugar
1-3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1-3/4 cups dried cherries
3/4 cup) slivered almonds, toasted
3 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350.
- Line a large cookie sheet with parchment or a nonstick baking liner.
- Beat flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until well blended. Mix in cherries and almonds.
- Whisk eggs, kirsch, and extract. Pour into egg mixture and blend until dough comes together in large, moist clumps, about 1 minute.
- Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead to incorporate any remaining dry ingredients.
- Divide into 2 equal pieces.
- Shape each pile into a log 10 inches long and about 4 inches wide, lightly flouring your hands as needed (the dough will be sticky).
- Put logs on cookie sheet about 4 inches apart. Bake until tops are cracked and spring back slightly when pressed, 32 to 36 minutes.
- Transfer the sheet to a rack and leave until logs are cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 300.
- Carefully transfer logs to a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, cut each log on a sharp angle into 1/2-inch-thick slices.
- Return slices to cookie sheet and arrange them cut side down. It’s OK if they touch because they won’t spread.
- Bake until the biscotti are dried to your taste, 10 minutes (for slightly moist) to 20 minutes (for super-dry and crunchy), turning them over halfway through baking.
- Transfer cookie sheet to a rack and let cool completely. They will still give slightly when pressed but will harden as they cool.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 1 month.
Tip: Sub in dried cranberries if you like.
Gilding the lily: Dip one end in white chocolate.