Recipe: Gingerbread Biscotti

Gingerbread Biscotti
Yield: 50 servings

1 c Almonds, blanched
3/4 c Sugar
1/4 lb Butter
1/2 c Molasses, dark
1/4 c Ginger, fresh; minced
3 Egg
3 c Flour
1/2 T Baking powder
1 T Cinnamon, ground
1 t Nutmeg, ground
1/2 t Cloves, ground
1/2 t Allspice, ground

Place almonds in a 8 to 9 inch square pan. Bake in a 350 F. oven until golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool, coarsely chop, and set aside.

In large bowl of an electric mixer, beat sugar, butter, molasses, and ginger until smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition.

In a bowl, stir flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice and almonds. Add to egg mixture; stir to blend. On two greased 12x15 inch baking sheets, use well-floured hands to pat dough into 4 flat loaves, spacing them evenly on sheets; each loaf should be about 1/2 inch thick, 2 inches wide and the length of the baking sheet. Bake in a 350 F. oven until browned at edges and springy to touch, about 25 minutes; switch positions of pans halfway through baking.

Let loaves stand on baking sheets until cool to touch, then cut into long, 1/2-inch thick diagonal slices. On baking sheets, arrange slices close together with a cut side down. Return to oven and bake at 350 F. until cookies are brown, 15 to 18 minutes longer; switch positions of pans halfway through baking.

Transfer biscotti to racks and let cool completely. Serve, or store airtight up to 1 month; freeze for longer storage.