Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, add the flour, baking powder and salt. Lightly stir and set aside.

Beat together the butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy. Add in the eggs and almond extract mixing thoroughly.

Gradually beat in the dry ingredients, this dough will be stiff. After all the dry ingredients have been beaten in, stir in the almonds in by hand with a spoon.

Divide the dough in half. With floured hands, to prevent sticking, shape each half of the dough into a rectangle about 3 inches wide by 11 inches long and a little under an inch thickness on an ungreased cookie sheet at least 2 inches apart. It is important that you give these cookies enough room, because they will spread. I find the easiest way to shape biscotti is to squeeze the dough into a long log shape and then pat down into a rectangle.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until set and golden around the edges. Let the cookies cool for 15 minutes on a cooling rack.

Carefully remove each cookie loaf to a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, or an electric knife, gently cut the loaf diagonally into 1/2 inch slices using a sawing motion.

Arrange the cookie slices back on the pan, cut side down and closely together. Bake for another 8-9 minutes.

Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and flip the sliced cookies to the other side. Bake one final time for another 8-9 minutes.

Remove the cookies to a wire rack and let them cool completely.

Melt the chocolate chips and shortening on low heat in a small saucepan or in a microwave safe dish on a low power setting, stopping often to stir the chocolate so it doesn't burn.

Using a fork, drizzle the chocolate over the biscotti. Let the cookies sit until the chocolate sets up and dries completely.

Store these cookies in an air-tight container between sheets of waxed paper in a cool spot.