Chocolate Chip and Almond Biscotti - almonds blanched

Method

• Adjust 2 racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat oven to 375F (190C).
• Use cookie sheets with 2 or 3 flat edges otherwise use cookie sheets upside down.
• Line sheets with parchment.
• Sift together into large bowl the flour, soda, powder, and salt.
• Add the sugar and stir to mix.
• Place about 1/2 cup of dry ingredients in the bowl of food processor.
• Add about 1/2 cup of toasted almonds and process for about 30 seconds, until the nuts are fine and powdery.
• Add the processed mixture to the sifted ingredients in the large bowl.
• Add the remaining toasted almonds and the chocolate morsels; stir to mix.
• In a small bowl beat the eggs with the vanilla and whiskey, just to mix.
• Add egg mixture to dry ingredients and handstir until dry ingredients are moistened.
• Be patient.
• Place a length of parchment or wax paper on the counter next to the sink.
• Turn the dough out onto the parchment.
• Wet your hands with cold water and pres the dough into a round mound.
• With a long heavy knife cut the dough into equal quarters.
• Continue to wet your hands as you form each piece of dough into a strip 9 inch long, 2 to 2 1/2 inch wide, and about 1/2 inch high.
• You will press, not roll, the dough into shape.
• The ends of the str ips should be rounded rather than squared.
• Place 2 strips crosswise on each of the lined sheets.
• Bake for 25 minutes, reversing the sheets top to bottom and front to back once during baking.
• Remove sheets from oven and slide parchment off sheets.
• With a wide metal spatula, transfer the baked strips to a large cutting board and let them cool for 20 minutes.
• Reduce the oven temp to 275?F.
• With a serrated bread knife, carefullky cut on a sharp angle into slices about 1/2 inch wide.
• Cut slowly with a sawing motion.
• Place the slices, cut side down on the two unlined sheets.
• Bake the two sheets, turning slices upside down and reversing the sheets top to bottom and front to back once during baking.
• Bake for a total of 25 to 30 minutes.
• Turn oven off, open oven door and let biscotti cool in the oven.
• When cool, store in an airtight container.