Marcona Almond & Black Pepper Biscotti
The first time I made the Marcona Almond & Black Pepper Biscotti was for a dinner party with a very close group of friends, the group I test new recipes with. I trust their opinion, their comments are always constructive and they are patient and precise while answering all my questions! I can have a few… :))
We were having cocktails and appetizers and I suggested they taste the biscotti while enjoying their drinks. The biscotti are spicy, crunchy and have a beautiful texture. They were unanimous: The biscotti are delicious but they are too sweet for appetizers and would go perfectly well with dessert! Yes, even with the black pepper and hint of ginger!
A few hours later (… we eat for hours!) they all had the Chocolate Mousse with the Biscotti. Wonderful and unexpected combination!
Marcona almonds are imported from Spain. They look more rounded and shorter than the usual more commonly used almonds. Their texture is not as dry as the regular sweet almonds, they are kind of “wetter” with more moisture and delicate flavors.
Since the Chocolate Mousse episode we tried the biscotti with coffee and it is a perfect addition to an afternoon espresso. I just baked a few batches (300 biscotti in total) as homemade edible gifts for the holiday season. Let’s start wrapping and packing…
Bon Appétit!
Marcona Almond & Black Pepper Biscotti
Recipe Credits: Rafaella Sargi
Makes approx. 75 biscotti
Ingredients
⅔ cup (90 g) all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon ginger powder
2 egg whites
⅓ cup + 1 Tablespoon (90 g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon black pepper
155 g Marcona almonds
Directions
Scale and prep all the ingredients.
You will need a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, 2 mini cake loaf pans* (buttered and floured), a big bowl, a silicone spatula, baking sheets and parchment paper.
Heat the oven to 350F (180C).
In a big bowl, sift the flour and ginger. Set aside.
In the bowl of the stand mixer whisk the egg whites and sugar on medium speed for about 5 minutes, until lighter in color and thickened.
Incorporate the whipped egg whites to the flour mixture then softly add the black pepper and almonds. Mix gently. Divide equally into cake pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
Remove from the oven. Let the “cakes” rest for 10 minutes, remove from the pan and let them cool for 15 additional minutes on a wire rack.
Lower the oven heat to 300F (150 C).
Slice the cake very thinly and place the soon-to-be biscotti in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 25 minutes until lightly golden and crispy.
Let it cool completely before serving.
*mini cake loaf pans dimensions: 5 1/2" x 3" x 2 1/4" high (14 x 7.5 x 5.7 cm)
Recipe adapted from: Apéro. Côté Cuisine. Editions Marabout.
