In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (3 minutes). Scrape dow the sides of the bowl.
Add the eggs one at a time.
Add in the extract, salt and baking powder and combine.
Finally add the flour to incorporate- do not over mix.
Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. (I leave mine in overnight)
Preheat oven to 350.
Divide the dough in half and form into 2 loaves about 12" long by 3-4" (I like a longer biscotti!)
Bake on a silicone lined baking mat for 30 minutes.
Cool for about 15 minutes. Cut each loaf with a serrated knife into 1/2" slices.
Place each stick on side and return to oven for 15 minutes.
Flip over and bake for another 15 minutes.
Let cool completely.
Notes
Store the biscotti in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. You can freeze these as well. There you have it, a delicious and authentic Italian Almond biscotti recipe. You can add toasted slivered almonds if you like to your dough before baking but I do not like large pieces of nuts in biscotti or cookies. Just a preference. You can also alter the flavoring of this biscotti by substituting a different extract- lemon, anise, orange ... they will all work. Dust your cooled biscotti with powdered sugar if desired.