# Flat Biscotti



## kaneohegirlinaz (Apr 24, 2011)

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kaneohegirlinaz


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I followed ATM's (America's Test Kitchen) recipe for Almond Biscotti,

and they came out FLAT!

Not to mention they tasted flat to boot, so I jazzed them up with some

melted Vanilla flavored Candy Melts[emoji]174[/emoji] drizzled over the tops.

MEH...

What did I do wrong?

These look nothing like they did on ATM's season14 episode:

From the Italian Bakery.

My Italian husband said the same,"meh, not so much, try again"


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## kaneohegirlinaz (Apr 24, 2011)

I forgot to quote the recipe:

*1 1/4*cups (6 1/4 ounces) whole almonds, lightly toasted
*1 3/4*cups (8 3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
*2*teaspoons baking powder
*1/4*teaspoon salt
*2*large eggs, plus 1 large white beaten with pinch salt
*1*cup (7 ounces) sugar
*4*tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
*1 1/2*teaspoons almond extract
*1/2*teaspoon vanilla extract
Vegetable oil spray
[h4]INSTRUCTIONS[/h4]

*1.* Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Using ruler and pencil, draw two 8 by 3-inch rectangles, spaced 4 inches apart, on piece of parchment paper. Grease baking sheet and place parchment on it, ink side down.

*2.* Pulse 1 cup almonds in food processor until coarsely chopped, 8 to 10 pulses; transfer to bowl and set aside. Process remaining 1/4 cup almonds in food processor until finely ground, about 45 seconds. Add flour, baking powder, and salt; process to combine, about 15 seconds. Transfer flour mixture to second bowl. Process 2 eggs in now empty food processor until lightened in color and almost doubled in volume, about 3 minutes. With processor running, slowly add sugar until thoroughly combined, about 15 seconds. Add melted butter, almond extract, and vanilla and process until combined, about 10 seconds. Transfer egg mixture to medium bowl. Sprinkle half of flour mixture over egg mixture and, using spatula, gently fold until just combined. Add remaining flour mixture and chopped almonds and gently fold until just combined.

*3.* Divide batter in half. Using floured hands, form each half into 8 by 3-inch rectangle, using lines on parchment as guide. Spray each loaf lightly with oil spray. Using rubber spatula lightly coated with oil spray, smooth tops and sides of rectangles. Gently brush tops of loaves with egg white wash. Bake until loaves are golden and just beginning to crack on top, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking.

*4.* Let loaves cool on baking sheet for 30 minutes. Transfer loaves to cutting board. Using serrated knife, slice each loaf on slight bias into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Lay slices, cut side down, about 1/4 inch apart on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. Bake until crisp and golden brown on both sides, about 35 minutes, flipping slices halfway through baking. Let cool completely before serving. Biscotti can be stored in airtight container for up to 1 month.


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## chefross (May 5, 2010)

I make Biscotti on a regular basis and from the recipe you used, I can see a few thing that might help.

The recipe has you jumping through unnecessary hoops.

Pulse the almonds in the first part and set aside. ground the almonds from the second part, place them in the bowl with all the dry ingredients, then add the wet (eggs, vanilla, etc...) and mix until just combined.

The baking powder is not enough in the recipe to raise the dough....I can see that clearly.

For 2 cups of flour I use 3 eggs and no whites.

2 teaspoons of salt? wow......

No wonder they came out flat.

Try this:

2 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon Baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 cups chopped almonds.

Mix dry ingredients add wet, stir to just combine. Shape into loaves bake 350 for 8 minutes, turn pan, bake 10 minutes mores  Remove and slice then rebake for 10 minutes again, turn pan and finish to desired dryness.


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## luc_h (Jun 6, 2007)

how can salt make a dough flat?

well beaten egg whites should help with leavening (somewhat).

I agree that 1/4 tsp of baking pwd is low however _biscotti _is supposed to be barely leavened. It's the ancestor of the French _biscuit_ (or cookie). _ Biscotti_ and _biscuit_ means twice baked in their respective languages. It's supposed to be hard for long storage.

The ATK recipe is quite authentic because it barely leavens the dough and makes a though hard cookie to dunk in your cappuccino without crumbling. If the dough rises too much it will crack and fragment.

If your target is (coffee shop) commercial biscottis which actually is a hard (stale) cake instead of a real _biscotti_, I would experiment by increasing the baking pwd by 1/4 tsp increments until you obtain the desired leavening however I will suggest that you always sift the baking pwd in the flour to avoid micro lumps and evenly distribute the leavening. Also beat the egg whites more.

If you want more thickness with the authentic recipe you currently have, form the dough narrower and thicker in the middle to obtain the desired half moon shape. It will hold it's shape during baking.

Luc H.


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## chefross (May 5, 2010)

I did not infer that the salt makes the dough flat. I was just commenting that it was a lot for that recipe, in a separate thought. Sorry to confuse.


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## luc_h (Jun 6, 2007)

Chefross said:


> ...
> 2 teaspoons of salt? wow......
> 
> No wonder they came out flat.
> ...


Read this way (out of context) is why I commented.

Sorry if I appeared to come down too strong on my end. It was not my intention.

Luc H.


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## fablesable (Oct 11, 2014)

Biscotti is a biscuit and should be treated as such when making them. ATK and their instructions can take a flying leap out of a high window. Essentially their crap half the time.

If you are making Biscotti with butter to get a harder crumb then you will need to (not melt the butter) but use room temp butter. As you are using butter in this recipe it needs to be creamed with the sugar first, then add your eggs (whole) one at a time but consecutively and ensure incorporation. Do not have to whip them to death for leavening as this is not needed for a proper biscotti turn out. Add your dry mix into wet and mix until just incorporated. Then you want to use your hands as the dough will be sticky, form two mounds on a baking sheet approximately 9x2" with plenty of space around each as biscotti spreads. Any more than 2" in width and you will get a fairly flat biscuit. Also, you will want to keep all sides square (or on a bias if that is how you are cutting them) as this will lead to less waste if you are trimming them. Do not do the egg wash and oil spray crap that is in that recipe (can you tell I really do not like ATK.....lol)

If you are making biscotti like in @Chefross recipe, with no butter, then you would follow the way it says by combining dry first and adding wet to the dry.

Good luck @kaneohegirlinaz /img/vbsmilies/smilies/thumb.gif


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