Lenox Almond Biscotti

I've never been to New York City and have absolutely no intention of ever changing that. This recipe came from the restaurant Lenox, which I am sure is way out of my budget even if I did go to New York. There is a chocolate biscotti recipe that I almost made instead of this one, but this recipe had a picture in the cookbook Baking From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, so it was the one that I tried first. By the way, that cookbook is 472 pages of nothing but desserts. Oh my. . . .it just might be the death of me.

Speaking of cookbooks, I currently have 5 checked out from the library at the moment and have about 20 recipes tagged. It's gonna be a bus weekend.

When shaping the logs, they can be shaped roughly, but this is the basic shape.

Yummm. . . .I could hardly stand to wait until they came out of the oven. They are almondy and delicious.

Lenox Almond Biscotti

1 1/2 C flour

1 1/2 t baking powder

1/4 t salt

1/2 C cornmeal

1 stick butter, room temperature

1 C sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 t almond extract

3/4 C sliced almonds

1/3 C dried fruit

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and put the rack in the center. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Add the cornmeal and whisk again.

In a large bowl with a hand mixer (or a stand mixer with a cookie paddle) mix at a medium speed for 3 minutes, until very smooth. Add the eggs and beat, scraping down the sides of the bowl, for 2 more minutes until it is light, smooth, and creamy. Beat in the almond extract.

Reduce the speed to low and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. It will be sticky and ball up around the beaters. Toss in the dried fruit and almonds until just blended.

Divide the dough in half. Shape each half into a rectangle about 12 inches long, 2 inches wide, and 1 inch tall. Don't worry about making it completely even.

Bake for 15 minutes, until they are lightly golden but still soft and springy to the touch. Transfer the baking sheet to a rack and cool the logs for 30 minutes on the baking sheet.

Carefully move the logs with a spatula to a cutting board and cut into 3/4 inch slices with a bread knife. Stand the biscotti up on the parchment paper, with the bottom of the log still on the bottom, and a little room between each slice.

Bake for another 15 minutes, until they are golden and firm. Transfer to racks and cool to room temperature.