Biscotti are a crisp, not too sweet, twice-baked cookie. They are wonderful to eat with a cup of coffee, tea, or cocoa, or just to enjoy as an anytime snack. This biscotti is rich with dried cranberries, almond flavoring, and sliced almonds.

Cranberry Almond Biscotti

Ingredients:

Small amount of vegetable shortening and flour for preparing baking sheets

Dough:

2¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 large eggs

2 large egg whites

2 teaspoons pure almond extract

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup dried cranberries

¾ cup sliced almonds

Tip: Use standard measuring cups and spoons or scales for accurate measuring.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets; lightly grease the sheets with shortening and dust with flour.
   
   Dough:
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine Flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg; whisk together to mix. Set aside.
   
   
3. In a small bowl, stir the eggs, egg whites, almond extract, and vanilla extract together. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture; stir just until mixed. Add cranberries and almonds; stir until mixed.
   
   
4. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, shape the dough into two logs, each about 14 inches long, 1½ inches wide, and 1 inch thick. The log should be slightly rounded in the center.
   
   First Bake:
5. Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven; leave cookies on the baking sheets, place on a wire cooling rack to cool slightly.
   
   
6. While still warm, cut each log diagonally into ¾ inch slices. Tip: My favorite tool to cut biscotti cookies is a stainless steel dough scraper; simply push the dough scraper straight down into the cookie for straight cuts. Or use a pizza cutter or small kitchen knife to slice the cookies.
   
   Second Bake:  
7. Lay slices flat on the baking sheet, return to oven and bake for 10 minutes. Turn slices over and continue to bake an additional 10 minutes. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on wire cooling racks to cool.
   
   Makes about 2½ dozen cookies
   
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