Cherry Almond Biscotti

Note by Phyllis Brown:  Ritchey’s biscotti jar – yes, he does have one! – has been empty for awhile.  That was brought to my attention with such a sorrowful look on his face!  With ChgoJohn using so many cherries I thought I should try to incorporate my favorite fruit into the biscotti!  This was the result!  I used fresh dark, sweet cherries.  Yes, a bit of a mess to pit – and I was going to Bardstown for genealogy research the next day! – but definitely worth it!  This recipe is a variation of the Biscotti Toscani in Biscotti by Lou Seibert Pappas.

• 1/2 cup whole almonds
• 1/3 cup butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sweet, red cherries, pitted and roughly chopped

Place nuts in a shallow pan and bake in a preheated 325 degree oven until golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes.  Let cool.  in a mixing bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs, vanilla and almond extract.  In a bowl combine the flour, baking powder, nutmeg and salt.  Add to the creamed mixture, mixing until blended.  Cut almonds into halves or thirds and fold in along with the cherries.  Divide dough in half.  Place on greased baking sheets and form into two logs about 1/2 inch thick, 1 1/2 inches wide and 12 inches long.  Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes or until a light golden brown.  Transfer from the baking sheet to a rack.  Let cool 5 minutes.  Place on a cutting board and with a serrated knife slice diagonally at a 45 degree angle about 1/2 inch thick.  Lay the slices flat on the baking sheets and return to the oven for ten minutes, turning them over once, to dry slightly.  Let cool on rack.  Store in a tightly covered container.  Enjoy!