Mandelbrot — almond bread biscotti
Mandelbrot — literally "almond bread" — is a Sephardic Jewish twice-baked almond biscuit, very close to Italian biscotti. The dough is rolled into a log, baked, then sliced and re-baked to a dry, crunchy finish. It is the canonical Ashkenazi tea biscuit, also widely loved in Sephardic communities.
i. Origin & history
Mandelbrot are essentially the Jewish cousin of biscotti, brought to Eastern Europe by Italian Jewish exchanges. The Sephardic version often incorporates orange-flower water or rose water reflecting Iberian Sephardic heritage.
ii. Ingredients
Makes 24 servings · scroll the side panel to adjust
- 300 g plain flour
- 150 g sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Pinch salt
- 2 eggs
- 100 ml neutral oil
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Zest of 1 orange
- 150 g whole almonds, lightly toasted
- 2 tbsp cinnamon-sugar for coating
iii. Method
- Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, salt.
- Beat eggs with oil, vanilla and zest. Mix into flour with almonds to a soft dough.
- Shape into two logs (25 × 6 cm) on a lined tray. Bake at 170 °C for 25 min until firm.
- Cool 10 min. Slice 1 cm thick. Lay flat on the tray; sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar.
- Bake another 12 min until dry and golden. Cool.
iv. Tips & common mistakes
- Use the freshest ingredients you can. The recipe relies on them.
- Read the method through first. Several steps must be ready in advance.
- Season patiently. Sweetness and salt are tuned at the end, not the start.
v. Variations
Chocolate-chip mandelbrot is a modern Ashkenazi variant. Sephardic rose mandelbrot includes rose water. Cocoa mandelbrot add cocoa.
vi. Common questions
What is mandelbrot?
Mandelbrot is almond bread biscotti, from spanish & portuguese cuisine. The dough is rolled into a log, baked, then sliced and re-baked to a dry, crunchy finish
Where is mandelbrot from?
Mandelbrot is from the spanish & portuguese dessert tradition; the recipe and history are detailed above.
How long does mandelbrot keep?
See the storage note in the Quick facts panel: 3 weeks airtight.