Angela's Italian Recipe for Infasciadedde Cookies

Infasciadedde Cookies
(Biscotti Infasciadedde)


Ingredients:

For the Dough (Pasta Frolla):
4 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
16 tbs (2 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 large eggs

For the Filling:
12 oz (about 3 cups) whole, unblanched almonds
1 cup honey
1/2 tsp cinnamon

For the Finish:
Honey
2 oz sliced toasted almonds

Directions:

Prepare the Dough:
Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.

Pulse a few times to mix.

Add the butter and pulse repeatedly until it is finely mixed and the mixture is cool and powdery.

Add the eggs, all at once and continue to pulse until the dough forms a ball.

Scrape the dough onto a floured surface and then place it on a piece of plastic wrap.

Press the dough into a square, about an inch thick and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Prepare the Filling:
Place the almonds in a food processor and pulse until finely ground.

Add the honey and cinnamon and pulse to make a smooth paste.

Scrape the filling into a shallow bowl.

When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F and set the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.

Take the dough out of the refrigerator and place on a floured surface.

Knead the dough lightly to make it malleable again and roll it up into a cylinder.

Cut the cylinder into four equal pieces.

Place one piece of dough on a floured surface and roll it to a 12-inch square.

Cut the dough unto eight strips, each 1 and 1/2-inch x 12 inches.

Spread about 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of the filling in a narrow line down the middle of each strip of dough, then fold the strip of dough so the long ends meet, but do not press them together.

Cut the folded strip into a 4-inch length and twist each once or twice.

Arrange the cookies on a parchment lined sheet pan, about an inch apart in all directions.

Repeat with the other pieces of dough and the remaining filling.

Bake the cookies for about 15 minutes, or until they are golden.

Slide the papers onto racks to cool the cookies.

Right before serving, drizzle the cookies with the honey and sprinkle with the toasted sliced almonds.

Store cookies between sheets of parchment or wax paper in a tin or plastic container with a tight fitting cover. Makes about 96 cookies

Note: Only finish off the cookies you are about to serve, as they are difficult to store once the honey is drizzled on top.