Gluten-Free Apricot Almond Biscotti

Hi Bakers! I’m weird. I already know this but my favorite way to make and eat biscotti is without baking it twice😳 It makes a soft flavorful cookie I adore… but what do I call it?? A softscotti? One bake biscotti? I need help with the name… Anyway,  you decide what to call it. It will be delicious and you’ll want to keep making it or at least I did! Bake it the second time for the traditional crisp biscotti or try a slice my way and let me know what you think! The sweet-tart apricot is so intense, chewy, and tasty with the almond vanilla flavor. Be sure to get the California or slab-style apricots rather than the Turkish ones because they have more flavor. These are the perfect treat with a cup of your favorite beverage and a good book. Make this one today and enjoy! -Carolyn

Gluten-free Apricot Almond Biscotti

Dry

1 3/4 cups gluten-free flour

1/4 cup blanched almond flour

1 1/2 teaspoons sweet rice flour

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup cold butter, in small pieces

Wet

1 large egg

1/3 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup chopped California-style dried apricots

1 cup sliced roasted almonds

This recipe was modified for gluten-free from the Almond Apricot Biscotti recipe by Epicurious.

Preheat the oven to 350F and place the rack in the center position of the oven.

In a large bowl whisk together flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips until it looks like bread crumbs. Set aside.

I’m a medium-sized bowl whisk together the egg, milk, and extracts. 

Add wet ingredients to the dry and mix until almost combined. Add apricots and almonds and mix so that they are evenly distributed. Divide dough into two equal pieces and place on a silicone or parchment-lined baking tray. Shape each half into a long loaf about 3/4” thick and 3 inches wide.  You can brush loaves with an egg wash and sprinkle with sugar but I usually skip this step and think the cookies are still good. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the loaf is firm when pressed with a fingertip and is slightly browned. 

Cool on a rack and reduce oven temperature to 300F. Cut logs with a serrated knife on a cutting board into 1/2” wides slices and lay cut side down on the silicone mat. Bake for about 30 more minutes or until biscotti is dry. Cool on a rack. Cookies become hard when cool.