Have you ever tried a rusk? They are a South African biscuit and one of SA`s absolute favourite things. They look like a dog biscuit, I kid you not, and they are absolutely rock hard, to the point that they are almost impossible to eat unless dipped in tea or coffee. Sounds appetising right? Every time we go to South Africa, SA returns home to London with half a suit case full of rusks. Each Saturday and Sunday morning he rations out just one rusk for breakfast and threatens physical harm to anyone who even contemplates stealing one from the jar.

Call me a chicken, but I have yet to attempt to make rusks, it would be like making homemade wine for a world class sommelier, my boyfriend knows what he’s talking about. Instead I decided to make biscottis which are my favourite thing to dip into my morning coffee.

When it comes to making biscottis there are two key factors that can make or break a batch, 1) flavour and 2) crunch. These biscotti’s are packed with flavour from the almond extract, orange zest and chunks of toasted almonds. Unfortunately the crunch is a lot harder to accomplish when using almond flour which creates a very moist dough. It took me quite a few batches of crumbly biscottis before I figured out the special formula. It all comes down to a long, slow bake which requires time and patience but its well worth it in the end. These almond & orange biscottis last for a week in a sealed container and for over a month in the freezer. I love having some ready to eat for those cold afternoons spent curled up on the couch with a cup of tea and a good book.

If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!

Almond & Orange Biscotti

4.17 from 6 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Diets Dairy Free, Grain/Gluten Free, Paleo, Refined Sugar Free, Specific Carbohydrate Diet Legal

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups almond flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/3 cup coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp almond extract
  • 1 tbsp orange zest
  • 3/4 cup toasted almonds roughly chopped

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit)
  • In a mixing bowl combine all of the ingredients and mix until well combined
  • On a parchment paper lined baked sheet, form the dough into two long flat logs approximately 3/4 inch thick
  • Bake the logs for 20 minutes until they have turned golden in colour. Remove from oven and allow to cool
  • Slice each log into 1 inch thick strips and lay flat on their side on the baking sheet
  • Return the baking sheet back to the oven and cook for 15 minutes
  • After 15 minutes lower the temperature to 125 degrees and flip the biscotti's. Bake them for 35-40 minutes at 125 degrees. If they begin to darken in colour stand them up. Once they are hard and dry they are ready. Remove from the oven and store in an airtight container for a week or for over a month in the freezer.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below and let us know how it was!