Apricot Almond Biscotti

What a perfect cookie for coffee drinkers!

Juice and grated zest of 1 medium orange
3/4 cup (175 mL) dried apricots
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) whole wheat flour
1/2 cup (125 mL) sugar
1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking powder
1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground cardamom
1/4 tsp (1 mL) baking soda
1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground nutmeg
1 egg
1 egg white
1/2 cup (125 mL) lightly toasted organic almonds, chopped

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). In small saucepan, heat orange juice with apricots just until hot. Remove from heat; let stand for 20 minutes or until softened. Drain and reserve orange juice. Coarsely chop apricots.

In large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, baking soda, and nutmeg. Make well in centre. In separate bowl, whisk together egg, egg white, orange zest, and 1 Tbsp (15 mL) of the reserved orange juice. Gently stir into dry mixture until combined, adding more juice if necessary to make dough moist. Stir in almonds and apricots.

Transfer dough to parchment paper-lined baking sheet. With lightly floured hands, press into 16-in-by-2-in log (40-cm-by-5-cm). Bake 25 minutes; then remove to rack and let cool 10 minutes.

Reduce oven to 300°F (150°C). Cut log diagonally into 1/2-in (1.25-cm) thick slices. Place on baking sheet, leaving space between each slice. Bake until light brown and crunchy, about 20 minutes. Let cool thoroughly on rack. (Biscotti can be stored in airtight container for up to 1 week.)

Makes 24 biscotti.

From: New Vegetarian Basics by Nettie Cronish (Random House, 1999)

source: "Is There a Cookie in the House?", alive #279, January 2006