GUEST BLOG: Angelica Pupillo’s Nonna’s Biscotti Recipe

Festive gluten free biscotti biscuits

My Biscotti Biscuits Story

These biscuits have been a special feature of every milestone I have had in my life to date. My Nonna is known for putting together beautiful platters of biscotti, so whenever there is an occasion or an achievement to mark, she will put one together and these almond biscotti always feature front and centre. 

As a child, my sister and I always gravitated towards the ones with the cherries (exclusively the red ones). As I've gotten older, I have come to appreciate the ones coated in almonds. 

Just recently a cousin of mine was diagnosed with coeliac disease. He was telling my Nonna that he was missing all the desserts she used to make. 

Nonna said to him, ‘You know I can make my almond ones for you, there's no flour in there.’ My cousin was thrilled, and she brings him a fresh batch every time she sees him. 

Nonna and I hope that you love this recipe as much as we do! 

Buon appetito!

Ingredients

3 cups almond meal

1 cup caster sugar

3 drops almond essence 

Zest of 1 orange

Zest of 1 lemon

3 egg whites

1 cup flaked almonds

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C with the fan on and line two baking trays.

2. Combine almond meal, sugar, almond essence, orange zest and lemon zest in a large bowl.

3. Add the egg whites to the large bowl and mix until it forms a firm paste.

4. Pour the flaked almonds into a small bowl.

5. Roll the mixture into little balls and coat them in the flaked almonds. Place them a couple of inches apart on the baking tray.

6. Bake for 15 minutes or until slightly browned.

TIP

To make these delicious biscotti more festive, you can go to your local Italian deli, Coles or Woolworths and purchase green and red glace cherries (not the ones in the juice - we use the Sunbeam brand). 

Instead of coating in the almonds - roll the mixture into balls and coat in icing sugar. Place them on the tray and then stick the cherry on top.

Author: Angelica Pupillo, founder of This is Your Body and Clinical Nutritionist (BHSc)

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A note from Ben…

Gel was a guest on Episode 156 of A Gluten Free Podcast. Included in the chat is her backstory, what inspired her nutritional journey, what’s happening with diet culture, body image issues, mental and physical health impacts, and how they relate to both children and adults. She offered some fantastic language we can use to discuss these often difficult and awkward conversations. We’ve already incorporated some of her language in our home with our daughters already.

Gel has generously provided us with some discounts too. Use the code GLUTENFREE10 for 10% off Gel’s teen lunch box eBook. Use code GLUTENFREEPOD10 to get 10% off Gel’s 1:1 program, Body Bop, for your teen.