Olive Oil & Hazelnut Biscotti

Olive Oil & Hazelnut Biscotti


Ingredients

• 1 cup whole almonds/hazelnuts, skins on
• 2 large eggs
• Grated zest of 2 lemons
• 220 g sugar
• 109 g Sicilian olive oil (118 ml)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 315 g all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt

Procedures

1. Preheat the oven to 175°C.
2. Put the almonds on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven for 15 minutes, or until they are well browned and fragrant.
3. Let the nuts cool (leave the oven on). When the almonds are cool enough to handle, break them slightly.
4. In a bowl, combine the eggs, lemon zest, sugar, olive oil, and vanilla. Mix on medium speed for 1 minute.
5. In a another bowl, whisk together the ground almonds, flour, baking powder, and salt.
6. With the mixer running on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the egg mixture.
7. Mix until the dough is just beginning to come together. Do not overmix.
8. Scoop the dough out onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet, and shape it into 2 equal logs.
9. The dough should be sticky. You may need to wet your hands slightly with water in order to work with it.
10. Each log should be about as wide as two knuckles on your middle finger and about ½-inch tall.
11. Bake for 14 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet and bake for 14 more minutes. Let the logs cool on the baking sheet for 12 to 15 minutes.
12. Reduce the oven temperature to 120°C.
13. Transfer the logs to a cutting board.
14. Using a serrated knife, slice the logs into ½-inch-thick biscotti.
15. Put the biscotti on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
16. Bake for 7 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet and bake for 7 more minutes, or until the biscotti are slightly crisp on the exposed sides.
17. Transfer them to a wire rack and let them cool completely.