Low Fodmap Almond Biscotti

Why Revisit Old Recipes?

Now that it is Christmas time and still the pandemic, I am revisiting many of my cookie recipes to convert them to Christmas cookies. I have loads of time to bake thanks to the lockdown we are all in because of Covid-19 . (sob).

Is Now the Time to Perfect my Home?

I remember once wishing I had more time to organize my kitchen, crochet a lamp cover, polish every bit of silver anyone ever gave me and scrub every single floor until it was blindingly clean. Do you think I have done all those things? Of course not. They are too hideous to contemplate.

Better to Bake for Mankind

Instead, I am baking for my blog, telling myself that at this time of year, it’s much better for mankind if I send out gingerbread men, Christmas cookies and candy. My very real excuse? No one else really cares about my floors, but children and grandchildren do whine if they don’t get a cookie package from me at Christmas. See? I am forced to give up cleaning and surrender to charity baking. Hence, today’s visit to cookie recipes that lend themselves to Christmas looks and flavors.

I Need Cookies that Travel Well

This low fodmap biscotti works perfectly as a Christmas cookie with the addition of chopped maraschino cherries. Voila and you have that fabulous dash of Christmas red. You could also add diced green citron or a mix of colorful dried fruits to give your biscotti that holiday look and taste. These cookies travel well because they are not delicate.

If the fodmap “fructan” is an issue for you, and you can’t tolerate AP flour, here is a link to King Arthur’s Measure for Measure GF flour website and recipe for biscotti. https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/american-style-vanilla-biscotti-recipe 

Italian Biscotti – simple, easy, delicious

One of my earliest memories is drinking a child’s version of espresso (3 drops coffee to one cup hot foamy milk) with my granny and dipping a biscotti into it to soften this extremely crispy cookie. I shuddered at the taste of anise, but I loved the crunchy pine nuts and crumbly texture. Now I make them without the anise flavoring and I adore them even more. Biscotti are simple to make, call for the simplest ingredients and last in a tightly covered tin for two weeks. They can also be frozen.

Ingredients:

1 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup slivered almonds or pine nuts (I like Trader Joe Unsalted Dry Toasted slivered almonds or their pine nuts)

1/4 – 1/2 chopped candied cherries, or citron, or dried fruit mix (optional)

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons 2% milk or almond milk, rice milk or whatever substitute works for you

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 tsp vanilla extract

**Note: The traditional flavoring is anise and if you want to add it, feel free.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray two baking sheets with non-stick spray or line with parchment paper.

Whisk together flour, almonds, cornmeal, baking powder and salt in a large mixer bowl.

Whisk together suger, eggs, milk and almond extract in a medium bowl. With electric mixer on low speed, beat sugar mixture into flour mixture until a dough forms.

Gather dough with your hands and place on a lightly floured surface. (I use a large wooden cutting board).

Shape dough into a log about 14 inches long; transfer the log to one of the prepared baking sheets and pat dough gently until it is about 3 inches wide and 3/4 inches thick.

Place dough log in the oven and bake until it is firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.

Transfer  the log to a cutting board and let cool 5 minutes.

Cut log with a serrated knife into 1/2 inch thick slices. Arrange slices in a single layer on prepared baking sheets. Bake biscotti 10 minutes; with a spatula, turn over the cookies and bake 10 minutes longer.

Cool completely on a wire rack; biscotti will crisp as they cool.

Biscotti may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for two weeks or can be frozen.

Low Fodmap Almond Biscotti

Almond biscotti are low fodmap except for the use of AP flour. These cookies are crunchy, buttery, almondy and rich. So yummy dipping them into a lovely cup of tea or espresso.

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Ingredients

  

• Ingredients:
• 1 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup slivered almonds or pinenuts I like Trader Joe Unsalted Dry Toasted
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons 2% lactose free milk or almond milk
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

 

• Directions:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray two baking sheets with non-stick spray or line with parchment paper.
• Whisk together flour, almonds, cornmeal, baking powder and salt in a large mixer bowl.
• Whisk together suger, eggs, milk, vanilla and almond extract in a medium bowl. With electric mixer on low speed, beat sugar mixture into flour mixture until a dough forms.
• Gather dough with your hands and place on a lightly floured surface. (I use a large wooden cutting board).
• Shape dough into a log about 14 inches long; transfer the log to one of the prepared baking sheets and pat dough gently until it is about 3 inches wide and 3/4 inches thick.
• Place dough log in the oven and bake until it is firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.
• Transfer the log to a cutting board and let cool 5 minutes.
• Cut log with a serrated knife into 1/2 inch thick slices. Arrange slices in a single layer on prepared baking sheets. Bake biscotti 10 minutes; with a spatula, turn over the cookies and bake 10 minutes longer.
• Cool completely on a wire rack; biscotti will crisp as they cool.
• Biscotti may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for two weeks or can be frozen.