Food Friday

I've decided that Fridays will be my day to post some of my favourite recipes. Lately, I've been on a Christmas baking kick which, among other things, has included several varieties of biscotti. I have two favourites so far. Here's the first one:


Gingerbread Biscotti
Ingredients:
1 cup sliced almonds
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup molasses
3 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tablespoons baking powder
3 teaspoons ginger
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Directions:
1. Place the almonds on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes, stirring halfway through until golden. Be sure to keep a close eye on them, they can burn quickly.
2. Allow almonds to cool, then chop into small pieces and set aside.
3. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat sugar, butter, molasses until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
4. Using another bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and almonds. Add dry mixture to wet mixture and stir to blend.
5. On two greased cookie sheets (or cookie sheets covered with parchment paper), using floured hands, pat the 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.
6. Bake in a 350 degree oven until just browned at edges and springy to touch, about 18-20 minutes. Halfway through the baking turn the pans so they bake evenly.
7. Leave the biscotti on the cookie sheets until just cooled, then cut into long, 1/2-inch thick diagonal slices.
8. Turn the slices over and arrange them close together on the baking sheets and bake again at 350 degrees until browned, 15-18 minutes. Transfer to racks to cool completely before dipping, drizzling or storing.
*Melt white chocolate chips (or baking squares) in a double boiler with a bit of shortening (about 1 tbsp shortening per cup of chocolate). Use this to drizzle over the biscotti or dip one end of each biscuit in it and place on foil or parchment to harden.