Enjoy as is or dip in coffee or sweet dessert wine such as sherry as the Italians do!
200 g raw almonds
100 g butter, room temperature
375 ml sugar
3 large eggs
2.5 ml vanilla extract
5 ml baking powder
2.5 ml salt
600 ml cake flour (you might need a little less or more)
- Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease three rectangular foil containers (about 10 cm x 15 cm) with non-stick cooking spray.
- Dry-fry the almonds in a single layer in a saucepan for a few minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Cream the butter and sugar with an electric hand mixer in a large mixing bowl. Set it aside.
- Add the eggs and essence to the mixing bowl and mix well.
- Add the baking powder, salt, almonds and about two cups of the flour and mix well. The dough should be the consistency of play dough. Only add more flour if necessary.
- Divide the dough between the three foil containers and flatten the dough with floured hands to a thickness of 1 cm.
- Bake for about 35 minutes or until the dough is golden and just beginning to crack on top.
- Remove from the oven, and using a serrated knife, slice into individual biscuits on the diagonal, about 1.5 cm thick.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 100°C.
- Place cut side up back onto the baking tray, return it to the oven and dry out for about 40 minutes, turning over once, until crisp and dry.
- Place a spoon in the door if necessary to keep it slightly ajar to allow moisture to escape.
- Cool and store in airtight containers.
Variation
- The dough can also be formed into logs and baked on a baking tray lined with a Wizbake baking sheet. Flatten the dough with floured hands to a thickness of 1 cm.
- The nuts used may be one kind only or a mixture of 2 – 3 kinds of natural nuts which may include almonds, pistachio nuts, Brazil nuts, cashew or pecan nuts. Or use chocolate chips!
Photo credit for photo at the top of the post: http://www.emikodavies.com
