Almond Pine Nut Biscotti
Submitted by juliea
Italian-style almond drop cookies decorated with pine nuts and dusted with confectioners’ sugar. A double-boiler whipped batter creates a delicate, marzipan-rich crumb that bakes up crisp on the outside.
YIELD
36 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
15 minREADY
30 minThese Italian almond drop cookies are made by an old-school technique that’s worth slowing down for: a double-boiler whip. Sugar, almond paste, salt and eggs go into a bowl set over hot (not boiling) water, then get beaten for 5 full minutes until lukewarm and the batter looks like pancake batter. Off the heat, you keep beating another 5 minutes until the mixture cools and turns thick and glossy, almost like frosting. That extended whipping incorporates air and dissolves every grain of sugar, which is what gives the finished cookie its tender-crisp interior. Sifted flour and baking powder fold in gently to preserve the volume, then almond extract for that signature marzipan note. Drop spoonfuls onto a buttered, floured cookie sheet, decorate the tops with pine nuts pressed lightly into the surface, and dust with confectioners’ sugar before they go into a 350°F (175°C) oven for 15 minutes. The result: golden, fragrant cookies with crackled tops that perfume the kitchen and pair beautifully with espresso or vin santo.
Pro Tips
- Almond paste comes in tubes or cans. Both work, but the canned version is denser. Soften with the eggs and beat hard to break up any lumps before increasing the heat.
- Don’t let the water under the bowl boil. The bowl just needs to be warm enough to dissolve the sugar; rolling water can scramble the eggs.
- Pine nuts toast quickly. Push them into the batter rather than just sprinkling on top, so they don’t fall off after baking.
- Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring. Hot cookies are fragile and tear easily.
Variations
- Replace pine nuts with sliced almonds, hazelnuts, or pistachios for color contrast.
- Add a teaspoon of grated lemon or orange zest with the almond extract for a brighter finish.
- Drizzle cooled cookies with melted dark chocolate for a more decadent dessert presentation.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
Place a mixing bowl over hot but not boiling water, or use a big double boiler.
Put the sugar, almond paste, salt, and eggs into the bowl, and beat for 5 minutes, or until the mixture is lukewarm and looks like pancake batter.
Make sure that the almond paste is well beaten also.
Take the bowl off the hot water and continue beating for another 5 minutes, or until the batter is cool and looks almost like frosting.
Sift the flour with the baking powder and fold it gently into the batter.
Add the almond extract and fold again.
Using a teaspoon, drop cookies 1½ inches apart on buttered and floured cookie sheets, decorate with pine nuts, and sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.
Let stand about 5 minutes, and then bake for 15 minutes, or until toasty and crisp on the outside.
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