The best care packages include baked goods, but finding recipes that are sturdy enough to travel - and survive the lag time in the college mail room - can be a challenge. These Italian-inspired crunchy biscotti make perfect care package fare at any time, but when flavored with tangerines - a symbol of good luck in Asian cultures - they can be a wonderful addition to a Lunar New Year-themed care package too. (And they travel better than fragile fortune cookies, which require careful packing.)
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Yield: 2 dozen
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup coarse cornmeal
- 1/2 teasspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon citrus zest, such as Meyer lemon or tangerine
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sliced almonds
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a bowl, blend the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt.
- Using an electric mixer, cream the sugar and butter until creamy and fluffy. Add the almond and vanilla flavorings and blend well. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Fold in the almonds.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil. Turn the dough onto the parchment paper and, using moist hands, form into a log about 12-inches long and 3-inches wide. Bake 30-40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and starting to crack. Leave oven on. Let dough cool for 10-15 minutes.
- Transfer the dough log to a cutting board and, using a serrated knife, cut the log diagonally into slices that are about 1/2-inch wide. Place the slices back on the cookie sheet, upright and leaving an inch or so of space between them. Bake another 15-20 minutes, or until the biscotti are crisp and golden brown.
