Granulated sugar – 2/3 cup
Olive Oil – ¼ cup (or canola oil; I used olive)
Eggs – 2
Vanilla extract – 2 tsp
Baking powder – 1 tsp
Salt -1/8 tsp
Flour – 1 1/4 cups
Instant Coffee Powder – 2 tbsps
Almonds– 1 cup/roasted & roughly chopped
Method:
- Preheat oven to 150 degrees C.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat sheets.
- Sift the flours + salt + baking powder.
- Beat the olive oil with the sugar.
- Add the vanilla extract + eggs + coffee & beat well.
- Stir in the flour mix; & gently turn the almonds into the dough. Mix in.
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Transfer the dough to your parchment lined baking sheet and form into 2 logs, about 12” X 3 ½”. The dough is sticky, so you may have to dampen your hands to form the log.
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Bake for 35 minutes, or until firm to the touch & light golden brown.
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Remove from oven and cool for about 10 minutes.
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Transfer the log gently to a cutting board and cut diagonally into 2 cm slices with a sharp serrated knife.
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Reduce oven temperature to 135 degrees C. Place the biscotti, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Bake 8 minutes, turn slices over, and bake for another 8 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove from oven and let cool. Store in an airtight container.
- Makes about 20 – 24 biscotti
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Note: Roast the almonds at 180 degrees for about 10 minutes, till the skin begins to crack open. Allow to cool, & then chop. Roasting brings out the sweetness & flavour in almonds. Can be done in advance.
This is a healthier version of the biscotti which I normally make. Have substituted some of the plain flour for whole-wheat flour & was quite pleased to see the kids enjoy them as much as we did. It’s always a good idea to gradually substitute plain flour with a portion of whole-wheat flour to increase the nutritive value…these are good, healthy cookies with no butter. Made with olive oil & full of nuts, they’re headed for Ivy @ Kopiaste & Ben @ What’s Cooking US for an event we can’t do without…Fat Chefs or Skinny Gourmets? (an event co-hosted by 2 of my fave bloggers). The call is to make something that you consider Diet Food for its nutritious value (high in vitamins and other nutrients and low in calories). I think we all need a little nibble at tea & this quite fits the bill!