Almond Mandel Bread Cookies

The word mandel is Yiddish for almond and are sometimes referred to as mandel brot and mandlebread. These cookies are always shaped like Italian biscotti and although they share the same shape and flavor as biscotti, the latter is always twice baked.

Ingredients

3 eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (at room temperature)

1 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup Farm Fresh Nut Dry Roasted Sliced Almonds Salted

2 teaspoons granulated sugar (for topping)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for topping)

Heat the oven to 350 F.

Using a stand or hand mixer, cream together the eggs and sugar until lightened in color. Beat in the butter and almond extract.

In a separate bowl, sift together the salt, baking powder, and all-purpose flour (or, if making the Passover version, the potato starch and cake meal).

Fold the dry ingredients into the wet, stir in the sliced almonds, and turn out onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. The dough will be very sticky and you’ll need additional flour (or cake meal) to shape it into a loaf, approximately 3 inches high.

Bake for 45 minutes.

With a serrated knife, slice while the loaf is still warm.