Ingredients
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2 1/2 cups whole shelled hazelnuts or 2 1/2 cups almonds, toasted and skins rubbed off
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1 3/4 cups sugar
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4 cups flour
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3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
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2 teaspoons baking powder
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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6 eggs
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3 tablespoons hazelnut-flavored liqueur or 3 tablespoons almond-flavored liqueur
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1/2 teaspoon almond extract (if using almonds)
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2 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Variations-------------.
- GINGER: halve the amount of the nuts and add 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1/3 cup minced candied ginger and 1 1/2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger.
- Omit the hazelnut liquer and add 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
- ORANGE:Add 3 tablespoons grated orange zest and use orange liquer instead of hazelnut.
- CHOCOLATE: Increase the amount of cocoa to 1/2 cup, increase the liquer to 1/4 cup.
- Decrease nuts by 1/3 and add 1 cup white chocolate chopped, 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate, chopped and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
- LEMON-PINE NUT: Omit the nuts, cocoa and liquer.
- Use lightly toasted pine nuts and add 1 1/2 tablespoons each of grated lemon rind and lemon juice.
- COFFEE: Using the hazelnut or almond recipe, add 3 tablespoons instant coffee granules.
- Also add 2 teaspoons ground cardamon or cinnamon.
- Halve the amount of the nuts and add 1 cup chopped dried apricots and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- Preheat the oven to 350'F (180'C or Gas mark 4).
- Place half of the hazelnuts and ALL of the sugar in a blender (or food processor) and process until the nuts are finely chopped.
- Place in a bowl.
- Coarsley chop the rest of the nuts and add to bowl along with the dry ingredients.
- In another bowl, blend the eggs, liquer and butter.
- Stir into the dry ingredients and knead gently with your hands to form a dough.
- Divide the dough in half and on lightly greased baking trays, form the dough into 2- 14 inch rolls- 3" wide and 1" thick.
- Bake at 350'F for 40 minutes.
- Remove from oven.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
- Cut with a serrated knife into 1/2" slices.
- Return the slices to the baking trays.
- Place them UPRIGHT and SPACED WELL APART.
- Lower the oven to 300'F and bake for another 20 minutes until crisp and dry- but NOT brown.
- Cool and store in an airtight container at room temperature.