Sugar crusted chocolate biscotti

Makes about 50

• 5 medium eggs
• 350g caster sugar
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 500g whole shelled almonds
• 75g ground almonds
• 200g plain flour
• 50g cocoa
• 0.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 50g semolina

Step 1
They're slightly tricky to make, because you have to be so delicate when folding the mixtures together, to avoid the eggs losing their aeration.

Step 2
The best tip is to stop folding while you can still see streaks of egg mixture, and then spoon it carefully on to the tray without stirring.

Step 3
Cover two large trays with foil, and heat the oven to 180C (160C fan-assisted)/350F/gas mark 4.

Step 4
Separate the eggs and, using an electric mixer, beat the whites to a stiff froth.

Step 5
Gradually add half the sugar and beat to a thick meringue.

Step 6
In another bowl, beat the yolks with a little of the remaining sugar until they begin to turn pale and slightly thicken, then gradually add the remaining sugar and beat until the mix thickens more and the sugar is almost dissolved.

Step 7
Pour the vanilla and almond extract in with the yolks, stir gently together, pour this on top of the meringue and fold gently together.

Step 8
Before it's fully mixed, add the whole and ground almonds, then sift the remaining ingredients into the bowl and fold everything together very gently until barely mixed through.

Step 9
With a large spoon, scoop the mixture on to the trays in strips no more than 5cm wide and about 25cm long, spaced about 5cm apart – you should end up with four strips on each tray.

Step 10
Dredge with caster sugar, then bake for about 40 minutes, until set in the middle.

Step 11
Leave to cool on the tray until the following day, then slice into 1.5-2cm biscotti, place back on the foil-lined trays and bake again at 160C (140C fan-assisted)/320F/gas mark 2½ for about 40-50 minutes, until the almonds have toasted.