Crisp, twice-baked Italian almond biscotti — ideal for dunking in coffee or vin santo, long-lasting, and one of the most satisfying things to make from scratch in the biscuit category.
About This Recipe
Biscotti means twice-baked in Italian, and the twice-baking technique is what gives these biscuits their extraordinary dryness and crunch, and consequently their remarkable keeping quality. The dough is baked first as a log until set, then sliced at an angle and baked again at a lower temperature until completely dry throughout. The result is a biscuit that will keep for weeks without softening and that is designed specifically to be dunked in coffee, tea, or the sweet Italian wine vin santo until it softens slightly before eating.
Traditional Cantucci — the Tuscan version of biscotti — contain whole almonds and nothing else beyond the basics of flour, eggs, and sugar. No butter, no oil. The absence of fat is what produces the characteristic dry crunch and is also what makes these biscuits last so long — fat is what causes most baked goods to go stale. The eggs provide the only moisture and fat in the dough, and the result is a biscuit that is genuinely dry rather than merely crisp.
The flavour is deceptively simple — almond, vanilla, and a slight richness from the egg — but the texture is what makes biscotti special. The initial resistance to the bite, followed by the crunch as the biscuit breaks, followed by the fragrant almond flavour that develops as you chew, is entirely satisfying in a way that softer, moister cookies are not. Dunked in coffee, where the biscotti absorbs just enough liquid to become slightly yielding at the surface while remaining crunchy at the core, it is one of the finest simple baking pleasures available.
History & Origins
Biscotti in their traditional form originated in the town of Prato in Tuscany, where they are still known as Cantucci or Cantuccini. The recipe dates to the 14th century, where the twice-baked, completely dry biscuits were valued as a ration food for soldiers and sailors because they lasted without spoiling for months. They were traditionally accompanied by vin santo, the Tuscan sweet wine, into which they were dunked before eating. The modern international popularity of biscotti is largely due to the Starbucks effect of the 1990s, when coffee culture brought them to global attention as the canonical coffee accompaniment.
Why It’s Easy To Make
No butter or oil required. Simple technique though the twice-baking adds time. Keeps for weeks making it the best investment of baking time in this collection.
Biscotti
Course: Baking, Cookies30
servings15
minutes50
minutes2100
kcalIngredients
•t3 large eggs
•t200g white sugar
•t1 tsp vanilla extract
•t0.5 tsp almond extract
•tZest of 1 orange
•t300g plain flour
•t1 tsp baking powder
•t0.5 tsp salt
•t200g whole almonds
•tEgg wash: 1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp water
Directions
- Preheat oven to 175°C. Line a tray with baking paper.
- Whisk eggs and sugar until pale and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
- Add vanilla, almond extract and orange zest.
- Fold in flour, baking powder and salt until a dough forms. It will be sticky.
- Fold in whole almonds.
- With floured hands, shape dough into two logs about 30cm long and 6cm wide on the tray. Flatten slightly.
- Brush with egg wash. Bake for 25 to 28 minutes until golden and just firm.
- Cool for 15 minutes. Reduce oven to 150°C.
- Slice logs diagonally into 1.5cm slices. Lay cut-side down on the tray.
- Bake for a further 20 to 25 minutes until completely dry and light golden. Cool on a rack.
Notes
- The dough will be very sticky. Flour your hands generously when shaping the logs.
Allow the logs to cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing — cutting too soon causes crumbling.
Cut with a sharp serrated knife in one confident motion rather than sawing back and forth.
The second bake must dry the biscotti completely throughout. They should sound hollow when tapped.
Make Ahead Tips
Biscotti are one of the best make-ahead bakes. Once fully cooled and completely dry they keep in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to 4 weeks. The flavour actually improves over time. They also make excellent gifts.
Storage & Serving
Store in an airtight tin or jar at room temperature for up to 4 weeks once completely cooled. Do not store while still slightly warm as trapped steam will cause them to soften. These are the longest-keeping cookies in this collection and are specifically designed for storage. Package in a glass jar or cellophane bag tied with ribbon for a beautiful homemade gift. Serve alongside espresso or strong coffee for dunking.
Variations & Substitutions
Replace almonds with pistachios and add dried cranberries for a Christmassy green and red version. Add 100g of dark chocolate chips to the dough. Dip one end of the cooled biscotti in melted dark chocolate. Replace orange zest with lemon zest and add dried apricots for a summer version.
