Almond Toffee Biscotti | Renee's Kitchen Adventures

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Almond Toffee Biscotti


Almond Toffee Biscotti and a hot steaming cup of coffee is a great way to start your day or pick you up from a busy afternoon. Almond Toffee Biscotti are crunchy, not too sweet, cookies perfect for dunking. 

Almond Toffee Biscotti | Renee's Kitchen Adventures  Perfectly dunkable in a hot cup of coffee #McCafeMyWay #ad


Every year I say it.  I'm not going to let the stress of the holiday season get to me.  But each year, around this time, I seem to have 100 million things to do and only days to get them all done. I've even gone so far as banning Christmas countdown calendars from my house because they stress me out!

That's when I have to say to myself, "Calm down, and take a few minutes to prioritize your to-do list and get done what absolutely needs to get done and let the rest go!" It took years to get me here guys...literally years.

Now, I find taking a few minutes and sitting down with some nice holiday music, a warm cup of coffee and a treat helps me clear my mind and sort out what's important and what's not.

Almond Toffee Biscotti | Renee's Kitchen Adventures  Perfectly dunkable in a hot cup of coffee #McCafeMyWay #ad

There is nothing like a hot cup of coffee with a delicious biscotti for dunking. That's why they almost always serve you biscotti with coffee in a good Italian restaurant. They are natural partners that enhance the flavors of each other!

What is biscotti?

Biscotti, also called cantucci, are small, crunchy biscuits usually containing nuts that are twice baked. They originate in Italy. Because they are so hard, they are perfect for dunking into drinks. They also keep well in an airtight container and can be frozen for up to 3 months to retain their freshness. 

Like I said earlier, biscotti and coffee were just made for each other. When I found out that premium roast McCafĂ© coffee is available both ground bags and coffee pods (for use in your Keurig) and in 8 flavor varieties, I about jumped for joy.  You see, like me, my parents are HUGE coffee lovers. To be honest, I was drawing a blank this year for gift ideas for them.  When I saw this coffee, well, that's when it became clear to me that I could create a FANTASTIC gift for them!  A coffee gift basket, complete with personalized mugs and a biscotti treat I made just for them...perfect for dunking in a hot cup of coffee!

I picked up just about everything I needed to make the biscotti and construct the gift basket from my local Walmart.  I do have to say, Walmart has the cutest holiday items that won't break your budget. (If you've ever put a gift basket together, it is easy to go over budget with the contents!)

Holiday Gift Idea | Renee's Kitchen Adventures Make a coffee basket!

Monogrammed mugs make it personal. I placed the biscotti in a cellophane bag then tied it with a pretty ribbon and a few candy canes to make it festive.  To make the basket even more special, I added a small bottle of some hazelnut flavored syrup (my mom's favorite).  With this basket, they can enjoy a relaxing cup of coffee and a nice treat to go along with it.

Holiday Gift Idea | Renee's Kitchen Adventures Make a coffee basket!

I even left a little room in the basket to add coffee pods for their Keurig!

If you'd like to make a basket like this for someone you love on your list this year, you can find the recipe for the Almond Toffee Biscotti below.

  What do you do to unwind and refocus when the stress of the holiday season starts to get to you?  Tell me all about it in the comments! 


Almond Toffee Biscotti, Biscotti with chocolate chips, Biscotti
Dessert, cookies
American
Yield: 30 servings
Author:

Almond Toffee Biscotti

Almond Toffee Biscotti

prep time: 20 Mcook time: 45 Mtotal time: 65 M
Almond Toffee Biscotti are crunchy, not too sweet, cookies perfect for dunking into a hot steaming cup of coffee

ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 5 TBSP unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 TBSP pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 1 1/2 cups milk chocolate toffee bits
  • 1 cup chopped almonds
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup cornmeal
  • 12 oz. milk chocolate chips, melted for dipping

instructions:

How to cook Almond Toffee Biscotti

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line large cookie sheet with parchment.
  2. In large bowl, combine the butter, sugar, vanilla, baking powder and salt. Mix well with a wooden spoon. Add in the eggs and egg whites, beating vigorously with wooden spoon until completely incorporated and thick. Mix in the milk chocolate toffee bits and the chopped almonds. Gradually add in the flour and then the cornmeal, beating well with wooden spoon after each addition.
  3. Divide dough in half. Spacing the loaves about 4" apart, shape each half into a loaf 8"x 4" each. (this works easiest if you dust the dough surface with a little extra flour) Make sure each loaf in an even thickness.
  4. Bake 24 - 28 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center. Remove from oven and then to wire rack and cool completely.
  5. Once cooled, with a serrated knife, cut slices about 1/4" thick from each loaf by using a gentle back and forth motion. Lay the slices out on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake slices in 325 degree F oven for 12 -15 minutes, turning halfway through, or until the slices are slightly browned.
  6. Remove slices and cool on wire rack. Once cooled, dip one end of cookie into melted chocolate and return to parchment lined pans to set. Store covered.

NOTES:

Adapted from Allrecipes
Calories
227.93
Fat (grams)
11.40
Sat. Fat (grams)
5.80
Carbs (grams)
27.67
Fiber (grams)
1.39
Net carbs
26.29
Sugar (grams)
17.66
Protein (grams)
3.90
Sodium (milligrams)
105.64
Cholesterol (grams)
27.30
Nutritional Information provided is an estimate.

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Almond Toffee Biscotti pin for Pinterest

Almond Toffee Biscotti by Renee's Kitchen Adventures pin for Pinterest

Looking for more Christmas cookie recipes to fill your cookie jar? Check out the delicious recipes below! 


Lemon Shortbread Cookies (delightfully lemony)

Santa's Swirl Sugar Cookies (so festive with red and green sugar)

Oatmeal Cookies with Cranberries and Walnuts (a good old fashioned oatmeal cookie with extras)


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2 comments:

  1. I love biscotti - haven't made it in ages though - definitely putting your recipe on my short list of things to make!

    ReplyDelete

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