Biscotti in Italian means "twice baked." My grandmother from Austria used to make an Eastern European version called mandelbrodt, which means almond bread in Yiddish. For my birthday, when my grandmother was 87 years old, she hand wrote her collection of recipes in a red leather-bound journal for me; a present I will always cherish. It included her mandelbrodt recipe. The journal sits in my kitchen next to Modernist Cuisine. I refer to her recipes frequently, often sharing them with friends and family.
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Toast almonds for 15 minutes, until they are golden brown.
- Cool, then pulse in a food processor until ground (4–6 pulses).
- Mix together ground almonds, flour, baking powder and salt.
- In a separate bowl, on low speed, mix eggs, sugar, lemon zest, olive oil and vanilla.
- Gradually add the almond-flour mixture, until the dough begins to come together. Better not to over mix.
- With slightly wet hands, scoop dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and shape into 2 equal logs. Each log is about 1/2 inch tall and 1 1/2 inches wide.
- Bake logs for 14 minutes.
- Let cool for 10–15 minutes. Reduce oven to 250°F (120°C).
- On a cutting board, using a serrated knife, cut logs into 1/2-inch thick pieces.
- Place biscotti onto the baking sheet 1/2 inch apart and bake again for 7 minutes at 250°F (120°C).
℞ M.D. Notes
- Almonds are a nutrient-rich food.
- Almonds are an excellent source of fiber, magnesium, manganese and the antioxidant vitamin E.
- Nuts seem to play a protective role against inflammatory diseases. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2011 supported the protective role walnuts have against inflammatory disease mortality.
