Almond and apricot biscotti

Biscotti are traditional Italian biscuits that are baked twice. Dry, though less so than Polish rusks, and sweet, they can be wonderfully varied in flavour. They’re perfect with coffee or a glass of wine, and their ability to keep for a long time is, apart from their delicious taste, one of their greatest advantages. You can bake a whole tinful and enjoy them whenever the mood strikes. Here’s my recipe for almond and apricot biscotti – I’ll definitely be experimenting with more biscotti from now on, because they’re really worth it. Highly recommended!

Makes 15.

Ingredients for almond and apricot biscotti:

• 1 large egg
• 90 g caster sugar
• 1 cup plain flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
• 100 g whole, blanched almonds
• 70 g finely chopped dried apricots

All the ingredients should be at room temperature.

Lightly whisk the egg and sugar together with a mixer (there’s no need to separate the egg first). Add the extract, then the flour mixed with the baking powder. Add the almonds and apricots and mix until thoroughly combined.

Dusting your hands with flour, shape the dough into a long, narrow loaf about 20 cm long. Place it on a lightly floured baking tray (the dough will be sticky).

Bake at 175°C for about 25 minutes, until golden brown and firmer to the touch. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Once cool, use a serrated knife to cut the loaf diagonally into 1 cm slices. Arrange the slices flat on the baking tray and bake again until dry and crisp, turning them over halfway through, at 180°C for about 15 minutes.

Almond and apricot biscotti can be stored for a long time in an airtight container at room temperature.

Enjoy!