Biscotti

According to nutritionist, Dr Rosemary Stanton, most biscuits aren't very healthy because they contain unhealthy ingredients such as saturated and trans fats, sugar or salt. The good news is that there is a healthy alternative that is quick and easy to make. Biscotti is a biscuit that's baked twice, giving it a really crisp texture without any added fat.

Rosemary's low-fat biscotti recipe

Ingredients

• 3-4 egg whites
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 100g blanched almonds
• 1 cup plain flour       

Method

1. Preheat oven to 150°C and line a 20 x 11cm loaf tin with baking paper.
2. Beat the egg white until stiff. Gradually add the sugar, beating until the mixture is thick. Add the vanilla.
   (Tip: to give your cakes or desserts an excellent vanilla flavour, keep a vanilla bean pod in your caster sugar.)
3. Fold in the almonds and sifted flour. Spoon into a prepared loaf tin and bake for 35 minutes. Turn out and allow to cool on a wire rack, then wrap in foil and leave for 24 hours.
4. Preheat the oven to 150°C again. Slice the loaf as thinly as possible and place the slices on ungreased oven trays. Bake for 30 minutes, or until slices are dry and crisp. Do not allow to brown. When cool, store in an airtight container.
   Note:  you can make biscotti with pistacios, pecans, walnuts or any other nuts; they are all healthy. For a no-fat biscotti, use 3/4 cup dried apricots instead of the nuts.

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