ORANGE-NUT BISCOTTI

Orange-Nut Biscotti image

Yield makes 3 to 4 dozen

Number Of Ingredients 10

1 cup almonds or hazelnuts
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups flour
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
Zest of 1 orange
1 to 2 tablespoons milk, if necessary
Flour for the pans

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Toast the nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan frequently until they color slightly and become fragrant, 3 or 4 minutes.
Combine the sugar, flour, salt, and baking powder in a food processor; pulse to blend. Add the eggs, vanilla, and zest and process until the mixture forms a dough ball; if necessary, add a tablespoon or two of milk. Add the toasted nuts and pulse a few times; you don't want to pulverize the nuts, just chop them lightly (and it's okay if some remain whole) and integrate them into the dough.
Butter 2 baking sheets and dust them with flour; invert the sheets and tap them to remove excess flour. Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a 2-inch-wide log. Place each log onto one of the baking sheets.
Bake until the loaves are golden and beginning to crack on top, about 30 minutes; remove the logs from the oven. Lower the oven temperature to 250°F. When the loaves are cool enough to handle, use a serrated knife to cut each on the diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Put the slices on the sheets, return to the oven, and leave them there until they dry out, 15 to 20 minutes, turning once. Cool on wire racks.