Is it hot out or what? The last few days have been unbearably sticky & icky here in the city. Tuesday was 90 degrees, but with the humidity it was 105. The subways were suffocating. I decided to stay in my air conditioned apartment & bake. I tested out Auntie Maria's almond biscotti recipe.
It wasn't my first attempt. I made them over a year ago for Tom's family as Xmas gifts. They came out great that first time, but needed to be tested again for the cookbook. The first batch was too soft & lacked that crunch that biscotti needs, so I let them cool a bit before slicing. Then I placed them back in the oven to toast. They did more than just "toast", they became as hard as rocks. I wish I could tell you what that batch tasted like, but, I was too afraid to break my teeth on them. Instead, I tossed those hockey pucks & started anew.
The second try was a bit better, but my dough didn't rise, it spread. I called Auntie M and she said the heat may have something to do with it. Yea! Let's blame it on the damn heat!! "Check the expiration date on your baking powder." she said. AHHH! It had expired, so that's why it didn't rise. Anyway, my extra long almond biscotti sure did taste good. They were not as soft as the first batch, & only needed a bit more crunch to be great. So I'll try them again next Monday. And just so you know, I'm not getting discouraged. There's light at the end of the cookbook tunnel. I can see it!!

Posted by Dawn Falcone @ 1:56 AM 1 comments

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