Lemon-Almond Biscotti

What if someone asked you,
"Would you like a cookie for breakfast?"
You might have a confused look on your face. Sounds like a no-brainer. But for real, a cookie for breakfast? Definitely sounds like a trick.

But if you say, (in an Italian accent)
"Buongiorno! Vuoi biscotti per la colazione?"
Now that sounds delicious. Mmmmmm. 
Biscotti. Colazione.
Ah. Leave it to the Italians to make a cookie for breakfast sound so sophisticated.

But just because biscotti sounds like a sophisticated food doesn't mean you have to be fancy. Case in point- the photo above. What was it that Julia Child said? "If you're alone in the kitchen and you drop the lamb, you can always pick it up. Who's going to know?"

Except here it's: "You can always eat biscotti in the kitchen without pants on. Who's going to know?"

Hmmm, who's going to know? Your mother. With an iphone. Who will post it on a blog. 
Oh brother. I can't help myself. Just look at those curls!

Anyway, back to biscotti!
I'm always surprised when I meet someone who has no idea what it is. "Biscotti" translated into English is literally "Cookies" but they're so much more than that. They're these crumbly slices of goodness that are slightly sweet and they become the perfect consistency when you dunk them in coffee. Heaven.

I've tried lots of biscotti recipes. Some are too hard. Some are too dense. Some are too crumbly. These Lemon-Almond biscotti are just right. And instead of using only refined sugar, I use a combo of brown sugar, coconut sugar and raw cane sugar. Now I really don't feel guilty about a cookie for breakfast. This recipe makes a lot of biscotti, but they keep really well in an airtight container. I just stick them in a big cookie jar and they last for more than a week! Buon appetito!

Lemon-Almond Biscotti

This biscotti is soooo good! The cookies are baked twice. A lot of times I will do the first round of baking at night and finish it off in the morning. My family and friends love when I make this recipe because it makes a lot!

Makes 25 biscotti

1/3 cup sliced almonds

1½ sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

½ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

½ cup coconut sugar

¼ cup raw cane sugar

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

½ teaspoon almond extract

½ tablespoon of grated lemon zest (about 1 lemon)

3 cups Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 gluten-free baking flour, plus more for rolling out the dough

1 1/3 cups almond flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Place the sliced almonds in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Stir almost constantly for 2-4 minutes, until the almonds are slightly toasted. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer place the butter, brown sugar, coconut sugar, and raw cane sugar. Mix on medium speed with a paddle attachment. Mix until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Meanwhile crack two eggs and a separated egg yolk into a small bowl. Save the egg white for later. With the mixer on low, add the 2 whole eggs, the single egg yolk, the vanilla, almond extract, and the lemon zest.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, almond meal, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the dry mixture slowly until just combined. Then add the toasted almonds until evenly distributed. Give it one big stir with a rubber spatula and then dump the dough out onto a well-floured surface.

Roll the dough into a ball and cut in half. Roll each piece into a log about 11 inches long by 2 inches wide. Place both logs a few inches apart onto the prepared baking sheet.

Beat the reserved egg white for about 15 seconds. Brush the logs with the egg white and sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon of raw cane sugar. Place the rest of the egg white in an airtight container in the fridge. Bake the logs for 45 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool for 45 minutes or overnight. (If you decide to bake in the morning, cover the logs with foil)

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.

Slice the log in ½ inch thick slices at a slight angle. It will be quite crumbly, that’s ok! It helps to squeeze the log together with your hand as you slice. Place the slices on a sheet pan with parchment paper (it is ok to reuse the parchment from the first baking). Brush the slices with the reserved egg white. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until browned.

Biscotti will keep in an airtight container for a whole week. Enjoy!