Cardamom Biscotti

I served the Blondies at an Easter lunch with my family, and my sister leaned over and asked, hope in her eyes, "are these healthy cookies, Anne?" I stared at her, disbelieving. "No, they're not healthy. They're cookies. Want healthy? Have a carrot."

Anyway. I then went home and made these, which are actually quite healthy, as far as cookies go. They have no butter, and I baked them with spelt instead of regular wheat flour which is supposedly a bit healthier. (Or at least it has a lower glycemic index, meaning it won't turn to sugar in your system immediately.) That's not the main thing about these cookies though - the really important thing to remember is that they are utterly delicious. I brought some into work and they disappeared in an instant - that's a good review!

They're stuffed with coarsely chopped almonds and dark chocolate, and I used fresh cardamom in them. Oooh, the scent alone was intoxicating!

Cardamom Biscotti
ca 40 biscotti

100 g almonds, blanched and coarsely chopped
2 eggs
200 ml (0,8 cups) sugar
1 tbsp cardamom, preferrably freshly ground in a pestle and mortar
1 tsp salt
400-500 ml (1,6-2.1 cups) flour (I used spelt flour, regular wheat is fine)
1 tsp baking powder
100 g dark chocolate, finely chopped

Mix together almonds, eggs, sugar, cardamom and salt. Add 300 ml (1,2 cups) of the flour and the baking powder, then the chocolate. Mix carefully and add just as much flour you need to hold the dough together.

Roll out into thick ropes and place on a lined baking sheet.

Bake at 180°C for 20 minutes, or until the dough is lightly golden. Remove from oven, and when cool enough to handle, cut into small biscotti. Dry in the oven, at 100°C for 40 minutes. (Place them with the cut side up, and turn them over after 20 minutes)

Recipe in Swedish:
Kardemummabiscotti