Chocolate Almond Biscotti

Chocolate Almond Biscotti

1 1/2 cups blanched whole almonds
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
7/8 cup white sugar
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons whiskey

Toast the almonds in a shallow pan over low heat for 12 to 15 minutes, shaking the pan a few times, until almonds are lightly colored. Set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 or 3 cookie sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar. Place half cup of these dry ingredients into the bowl of a food processor. Add about a half cup of the toasted almonds and process for about 30 seconds.

Return the mixture to the bowl of dry ingredients and stir in the remaining almonds and chocolate chips. In a large measuring cup, beat the eggs, vanilla and whiskey with a fork to blend. Stir into the dry ingredients until moistened. Wet your hands and divide the dough into four portions. Keeping hands wet, form each quarter into loaves about 9 inches long, 2 inches wide and 1/2 inch high. Round the ends. Place two loaves on each of the cookie sheets.

Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven. If baking more that one sheet at a time, reverse the sheets top to bottom halfway through cooking time. Using a spatula remove the slabs from cookie sheets and let cool for 20 minutes on cutting board. Reduce oven temperature to 275 degrees F.

With a serrated knife, carefully cut at an angle into slices about 1/2 inch wide. Place the slices, cut side down, onto cookie sheets. Bake 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until the biscotti are crispy and lightly toasted.

Turn oven off and open the oven door, allowing the biscotti to cool in the oven. Cool and store in an airtight container.

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