Italian Biscotti with Dried Mangoes

I like Biscotti with a cup of freshly brewed coffee but I do not like the commercially prepared cement blocks.  Homemade is better in texture, flavour and taste.  Try it and see if you feel the same.

•  3 cups flour
• 5 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped almonds (toasted)
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp. almond flavouring
• 4 squares semi-sweet chocolate squares, melted
• 1 cup dried, chopped mangoes
• 2 lemons, grated peel
• 2 lime, grated peel
• 1 orange, grated peel

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and chopped almonds.  Whisk the remaining ingredients together.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry and really mix this well. It will be a very stiff dough.

On a parchment lined cookie sheet, divide the dough into 2 pieces and roll into logs.  They should be about 3 inches wide and as long as your cookie sheet.  Try to square off the ends and bake for 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and slice each log on the diagonal.  On a second, parchment lined cookie sheet, lay the slices on their side.  Reduce your oven to 350 degrees and bake another 10 minutes.  Turn them over and bake a further 10 minutes.  Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Now, clean up the kitchen, make a fresh pot of coffee, grab a friend or magazine….put a couple of biscotti on a plate and enjoy!