Fresh Blueberry and Almond Biscotti

The other day my Chinese neighbour gifted me a pack of fresh blueberries in return for the Diwali sweets I had given for her family. Since then, I have been getting anxious to do some baking with them. However,there is a family wedding coming up in December and I want to look a tad thinner in the saris that I would be wearing. So I asked my best friend (read Google) and pat came the answer. A healthy, nutritious alternative to cookies with no butter or oil required to bake them. Easy to make and guilt-free indulgence!

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour (maida)

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 tbsp almond/vanilla essence

1/3 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup fresh blueberries (this can be replaced with dried/fresh cranberries, raisins, dates, etc.)

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp lemon/orange zest

Directions

Pre-heat the oven at 175 degree celsius.

Mix the dry ingredients together with the almonds and the blueberries.

In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and almond essence. Add the dry mix little by little till a moist dough forms. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and slightly wetting your hands knead the dough for few more minutes. You may do this in the working bowl as well. Line a baking tray with cookie sheet. Make two giant sized cookies and place it on the tray. Make sure not to flatten the cookie much. At this point, you may dust the top with a bit of sugar for a crystallized effect (I skipped it). Bake in the pre-heated oven for 25 minutes or until firm and golden from outside. 

Take out the giant cookies from the oven. By now, they must have risen to a small mountain-like structure. With the help of an oven mitt, take a bread knife and gently cut out fingers from the cookies while they are still hot. Place the cut biscottis on a cookie sheet bottoms down for another 20 minutes at 150 degree celsius. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack before transferring to an air tight container. Enjoy your guilt-free indulgence with your favorite cup of tea or coffee or as your mid-morning snack.