Apricot-Walnut Biscotti

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spread out the nuts on a baking sheet; toast in the oven, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and golden brown, about 8 minutes. Remove from the oven; reduce temperature to 350°F.

   Step 2

   Rub the nuts between paper towels to remove loose skins; coarsely chop the nuts.

   Step 3

   Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl; set aside. Put the butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla. Mix in the eggs in 2 batches, mixing each until just combined. On low speed, mix in the flour mixture until just combined. Stir in the walnuts and apricots by hand.

   Step 4

   Butter a large baking sheet; set aside. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface; divide in half. With floured hands, shape each half into an 8 1/2 x 2 1/2 x 1-inch log. Place the logs at least 2 inches apart on the buttered baking sheet. Bake until golden, about 30 minutes. Transfer the sheet to a wire rack; let the logs stand 10 minutes.

   Step 5

   Transfer the logs to a cutting board. Clean and butter the large baking sheet; set aside. Brush the logs with egg white, and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Cut each log crosswise on the diagonal into 12 pieces (each 1/2 inch thick). Lay flat on the buttered sheet. Bake 7 minutes; turn the pieces. Bake until golden, 7 to 9 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool until crisp.

   Step 6

   Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool slightly.

   Step 7

   Dip a flat side of 12 biscotti in melted chocolate, arranging the cookies, chocolate side up, on parchment paper as you work. Let stand until the chocolate is set, about 30 minutes. Store in an airtight container, keeping the chocolate-dipped ones in a single layer on top, up to 2 days.

2. MAKING BISCOTTI

   Step 8

   For wonderfully crisp biscotti, follow these simple steps:

3. Step 9

   After mixing the dough, use your hands to pat it into a long loaf. Be sure to flatten it in the middle and to keep the ends the same width as the rest.

4. Step 10

   Once the loaf has been baked, let it cool for 15 minutes before cutting into slices. If the loaf is too hot, the slices may crumble; if allowed to sit too long, the loaf will be difficult to slice. Using a serrated knife is the best way to cut cleanly.

5. Step 11

   You do not want the biscotti to become too hard to eat, so watch them closely after about 10 minutes, and take them out of the oven when they are just starting to turn golden around the edges. Let the biscotti cool completely on the baking sheet so they get perfectly crisp and dry, ideal for dunking into espresso or your favorite dessert wine.