Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F). Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
• In a large bowl sift together 250 g flour, 30 g cocoa, 1 tsp baking powder, and 1 pinch of salt.
• Add 100 g sugar to the dry mixture. Cut 50 g cold butter into small cubes and rub it into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until the mixture becomes a coarse, crumbly texture.
• In a separate bowl beat 2 eggs lightly with a fork. Add 2 tbsp almond/nut oil and scrape the seeds from 1/2 vanilla pod into the eggs; mix to combine.
• Pour the egg mixture over the crumbly dry mixture. Fold and knead briefly in the bowl (or on a lightly floured surface) until you obtain a homogeneous dough that holds together. If the mixture is powdery at first, continue working it a short time so the butter and liquids bind the dough; the finished dough should be firm and slightly tacky but manageable.
• Coarsely chop 100 g toasted almonds and fold them evenly into the dough so they are well distributed.
• Divide the dough into two equal portions. Shape each portion into a roll about 40 cm (15.5 in) long and place both rolls on the prepared baking tray, spacing them apart and flattening them slightly.
• Bake the rolls at 160°C (320°F) for 20 minutes.
• Remove the tray from the oven and let the logs rest 5 minutes to cool slightly so they firm up but are still warm. Using a serrated knife, slice each log on the diagonal into pieces about 2 cm (0.75 in) thick.
• Arrange the sliced biscotti cut-side down on the same tray (or a clean lined tray). Reduce the oven temperature to 150°C (300°F) and bake the slices for 7–8 minutes to dry and crisp them.
• Turn off the oven, remove the tray, and transfer the biscotti to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Melt 50 g white chocolate in a bain-marie (or carefully in short bursts in the microwave), then dip or drizzle the cooled biscotti with the melted white chocolate. Allow the chocolate to set before serving.