Almond Biscotti

Heat the oven. Set the oven to 175°C (155°C fan) and let it heat for at least 20 minutes with a shelf positioned in the middle before you bake anything. A fully heated oven means the dough sets quickly on the outside, which helps the logs hold their shape rather than spreading flat. Starting with a cold oven gives soggy, flat biscotti instead of neat logs.

Whisk eggs and sugar. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, caster sugar, vanilla and salt together for about a minute until the mixture is smooth and just starting to turn frothy and pale. Whisking this long dissolves the sugar and traps a little air, which helps give the baked logs a light, even crumb. Then whisk in the cooled melted butter until fully combined.

Bring in the dry ingredients. Stir the flour, baking powder and orange zest into the egg mixture until a soft, sticky dough comes together. Mix only until no dry flour remains, since overworking the dough at this stage can make the finished biscotti tough rather than tender-crisp. The dough will feel wetter and stickier than a normal biscuit dough — that's expected.

Shape two logs. With damp hands, shape the dough into two logs on the lined tray, each about 25 x 6 cm and 2 cm high, keeping them roughly 8 cm apart. Wetting your hands stops the sticky dough from clinging to your fingers instead of forming a neat log. Leave the gap generously, as both logs will spread wider during the first bake.

First bake. Bake the logs for 25-30 minutes, until they are golden all over, firm to the touch on top and just beginning to crack along the surface. Those surface cracks are a good sign: they show the dough has set enough to slice cleanly in the next step. Resist the urge to check too early, as the logs need this time to firm up right through the centre.

Cool before slicing. Leave the logs to cool on the tray for 20-25 minutes rather than slicing straight away. Cutting into a log while it's still hot will crumble the crumb, while waiting until fully cold makes it brittle enough to shatter under the knife. This short rest is the window where the logs are firm enough to slice cleanly but still slightly warm.

Lower the oven and slice. Turn the oven down to 150°C (130°C fan) ready for the second, drying bake. On a board, cut each log on the diagonal into 1.5 cm slices using a serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion rather than pressing straight down. The serrated edge glides through the crumb without squashing it, giving you clean, even slices.

Second bake to dry out. Stand or lay the slices back on the tray and bake for 20-25 minutes, turning them once halfway through, until they feel dry and are lightly golden at the cut edges. This second, lower bake is what pulls out the remaining moisture and gives biscotti their characteristic snap. They will still feel a little soft in the middle straight from the oven — that firms up as they cool.

Cool completely. Transfer the slices to a wire rack and let them cool completely before storing. Biscotti continue to crisp up as they cool, so a batch that feels only slightly firm when warm will be properly crunchy once cold. Makes about 30 biscotti.