Ginger Biscotti

Spicy Ginger Biscotti

Makes about 65 biscotti

1 ¼ cup whole almonds
4 ounces crystallized Ginger
½ cup sugar
3 large eggs
½ cup honey
2 ½ cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp finely ground pepper
1 tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground cloves

• Toast almonds in a 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes until lightly colored, stirring once during toasting. Set aside to cool and reduce oven temp. to 300 degrees.

•  Place crystallized ginger and  ½ cup of sugar into a food processor bowl and pulsing until pieces are the size of whole peppercorns. You can also chop crystallized ginger by hand until pieces are the size of whole peppercorns and add it to the 1/2 cup of sugar. .
• Beat the eggs and honey in a small bowl and set aside.
• In a large bowl sift together the remaining ingredients, 2 ½ cups all purpose flour,¼ tsp salt, 1 ½ tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp finely ground pepper, 1 tsp. ground ginger, ½ tsp. ground cinnamon, and ½ tsp. ground cloves
• Stir in the ginger and sugar.
• Add the whole toasted nuts, add the honey egg mixture and stir until the dry ingredients are completely moistened. Mixture will firm but sticky

Divide the dough into 2 parts. Form two 14” long logs and place onto a parchment, silpat, or greased foil lined cookie sheet. Leaving space between the logs, gently flatten out the log until it is 3-3 ½ inches wide and ¾ inches thick ( NO thicker).

Bake at 300 degrees for 50 minutes. Reduce oven temp to 270 degrees and remove sheet from oven and immediately peel the parchment foil or silpat off of the flattened log.

Place the flattened log onto a cutting board and with a very sharp or serrated knife, slice on an angle a scant ¼”- 1/3” inch wide slices.  The larger the angle the longer the biscotti will be. Place slices cut side down onto cookie sheets touching each other. Gather up the chunks that break off and bake them too.

Bake at 275 degrees for 30 minutes turning slices once after 15 minutes. Bake until very light golden brown and crisp when cooled. You may need to cool one in the freezer as a test to see if they are done. You need to watch carefully the last 10 minutes as it's easy for them to get to browned and be over done.

Remove from oven and cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
Save the pieces to top vanilla ice cream with.
If you really want to splurge, dip  or drizzle with dark chocolate