Almond Toffee Biscotti and McCafé

Almond Toffee Biscotti and a hot steaming cup of premium roast McCafé coffee is a great way to start your day or pick you up from a busy afternoon.

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Every year I say it. I'm not going to let the stress of the holiday season get to me. But every year, around this time, I seem to have 100 million things to do and only days to get them all done. I've even gone so far as banning Christmas countdown calendars from my house because they stress me out!

That's when I have to say to myself, "Calm down, and take a few minutes to prioritize your to-do list and get done what absolutely needs to get done and let the rest go!" It took years to get me here guys...literally years. Now, I find taking a few minutes and sitting down with some nice holiday music, a warm cup of coffee and a treat helps me clear my mind and sort out what's important and what's not.

There is nothing like a hot cup of coffee with a delicious biscotti for dunking. Nothing. I gotta tell you, I am pretty picky about my choice of coffee too. That's why I was excited to find that premium roast McCafé coffee is now available for purchase at your local Walmart or grocers. I have long loved McDonald's coffee. I mean, what's NOT to love? It's made from 100% Arabica beans that have been harvested from the rich soils and mountainous regions of the foremost coffee growing regions of the world and roasted to perfection. When I'm out and about doing all my holiday errands, I find it so convenient to grab a cup through the drive-thru.

When I found out that premium roast McCafé coffee is available both ground bags and coffee pods (for use in your Keurig) and in 8 flavor varieties, I about jumped for joy. You see, like me, my parents are HUGE McDonald's coffee lovers. To be honest, I was drawing a blank this year for gift ideas for them. When I saw this coffee, well, that's when it became clear to me that I could create a FANTASTIC gift for them! A McCafé coffee gift basket, complete with personalized mugs and a biscotti treat I made just for them...perfect for dunking in a hot McCafé cup of coffee!

I picked up just about everything I needed to make the biscotti and construct the gift basket from my local Walmart. I do have to say, Walmart has the cutest holiday items that won't break your budget. (If you've ever put a gift basket together, it is easy to go over budget with the contents!)

Monogrammed mugs make it personal. I placed the biscotti in a cellophane bag then tied it with a pretty ribbon and a few candy canes to make it festive. To make the basket even more special, I added a small bottle of some hazelnut flavored syrup (my mom's favorite). With this basket, they can enjoy a relaxing cup of coffee and a nice treat to go along with it.

I even left a little room in the basket to add some McCafé coffee pods for their Keurig!

What do you do to unwind and refocus when the stress of the holiday season starts to get to you? Tell me all about it in the comments!

Almond Toffee Biscotti

By Renee's Kitchen Adventures

Adapted from Allrecipes

• Crunchy, not too sweet, biscotti perfect for dunking into a hot steaming cup of coffee
• Ingredients
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 5 TBS unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 TBS pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 1/2 cups milk chocolate toffee bits
• 1 cup chopped almonds
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 12 oz. milk chocolate chips, melted for dipping

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line large cookie sheet with parchment.

In large bowl, combine the butter, sugar, vanilla, baking powder and salt. Mix well with a wooden spoon. Add in the eggs and egg whites, beating vigorously with wooden spoon until completely incorporated and thick. Mix in the milk chocolate toffee bits and the chopped almonds. Gradually add in the flour and then the cornmeal, beating well with wooden spoon after each addition.

Divide dough in half. Spacing the loaves about 4" apart, shape each half into a loaf 8"x 4" each. (this works easiest if you dust the dough surface with a little extra flour) Make sure each loaf in an even thickness.

Bake 24 - 28 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center. Remove from oven and then to wire rack and cool completely.

Once cooled, with a serrated knife, cut slices about 1/4" thick from each loaf by using a gentle back and forth motion. Lay the slices out on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake slices in 325 degree F oven for 12 -15 minutes, turning halfway through, or until the slices are slightly browned.

Remove slices and cool on wire rack. Once cooled, dip one end of cookie into melted chocolate and return to parchment lined pans to set. Store covered.

Yield: Approx. 60 biscotti

Prep Time: 00 hrs. 20 mins.

Cook time: 00 hrs. 45 mins.

Total time: 65 mins.

Tags: cookies, chocolate, toffee, almond, dessert, biscotti, snacks

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