The classic profumo of anisette or almond was just a normal scent in our household growing up. Anisette is used throughout Sicilian baking, and to this day these are still my mammas favorite biscotti. As a child I preferred the almond flavor to anisette, but today I love and appreciated the warm comfort flavor that reminds me of my childhood days with mia nonna and mamma. We would eat it as a hot appetizer or as a side dish. It is so good and addicting, I know you will want to gobble them up too!
 
Mammas mandorla biscotti 
About 3 dozen 
 
½ lb. (8oz.) butter, room temperature 
1 cup of sugar
4 eggs 
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
2-4 teaspoons of anisette or almond extract
1 cup chopped almonds 
 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together. Add one egg at time and beat until incorporated. Blend in flour, baking powder anisette, extract. Add chopped almonds and mix just until incorporated.
Divide dough into three and on a lightly floured surface, roll dough to make a 3 logs, approx. 15” x 2 ½” wide. Lay out on baking sheets that are lined with parchment and flattened evenly.
Bake 12 minutes and remove from oven to cool completely.
Cut ¾ inch thick slices at a 30 degree angle.
Stand them on another sheet pan and bake for another 10 minutes for medium crunch or up to 15 minutes for hard crunch for dipping.
 
Store in airtight container up to 5 days or wrap in foil and freeze in zip lock plastic bags up to a month.