Almond Biscotti

If you were to look through the pictures on my computer - you would find far more food pictures than anything else. 😬 I'm embarrassed to admit that I've categorized and stored so many food pictures that I had to upgrade the storage on my laptop. 📸  I never set out to be a food photographer - it was just a natural byproduct of becoming a food blogger. 
 
Food is by far the most popular subject of my photographs but you might be surprised to find out that the second most popular thing that I photograph is... birds. 🕊 There's no logical explanation for my fascination with bird pictures other than I feel like it's the complete opposite of the food pictures.  Birds are easily spooked, they move, they fly and they're almost impossible to catch in good lighting.  Maybe it's the challenge of getting a decent bird picture that draws me to them.  

After our two week summer vacation - I came home with a handful of pictures of my family, a few shots of the meals that I ate, a couple cool landscape pictures and a whole lot of bird pictures.  😂 I feel like I owe my family an explanation.  Please don't assume that the number of photographs that I have of you (or lack there of) is in any way proportional to the importance that you are in my life.  😂

Taking food pictures on vacation is an entirely different experience than photographing food at home.  It's way easier at home where I have access to a camera lens specifically for food pictures and I know exactly where to place food to get it in the best lighting.  Food pictures while traveling are way more difficult.  I typically don't travel with my food lenses and finding good lighting is definitely not intuitive for me. 😂 

Just in case you need more evidence that I'm very mediocre photographer while on the road, you should know that I ended up taking these almond biscotti pictures twice. 🤦🏻‍♀️  In the end - I hope that despite my sub par pictures - you still get the idea that these biscotti are crispy and buttery and delicious.  

Almond Biscotti
2 ¼ cups flour 
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup sugar
¾ brown sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon lemon zest
1 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Whisk together flour, baking powder sugars and salt. 

Whisk together eggs, oil, almond extract, vanilla extract and lemon zest. 

Add wet ingredients and sugars to the dry ingredients. 

Stir in almonds. 

Divide dough in half. 

Form each half into a log and place on a silpat lined baking sheet. 

Bake 30 minutes at 350. 

Slice cookies on the bias at 1/2" intervals.  

Place back on cookie sheet and bake 10 minutes per side at 300.

Shout out to my mom for letting me raid her pantry every time I visit to find containers and plates to use for my food pictures.  You have the best stock of pretty dishes and baskets and fun trays that I've ever seen.  

​Ciao!

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