Aunt Gens Biscotti Recipes

HOLIDAY BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Whisk the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar, butter, lemon zest, and salt in a large bowl to blend. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time. Add the flour mixture and beat just until blended. Stir in the pistachios and cranberries.
• Form the dough into a 13-inch-long, 3-inch-wide log on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until light golden, about 40 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes.
• Place the log on the cutting board. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the log on a diagonal into 1/2- to 3/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the biscotti cut side down on the baking sheet. Bake the biscotti until they are pale golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer the biscotti to a rack and cool completely.
• Stir the chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until the chocolate melts. Dip half of the biscotti into the melted chocolate. Gently shake off the excess chocolate. Place the biscotti on the baking sheet for the chocolate to set. Sprinkle with the sugar crystals. Refrigerate until the chocolate is firm, about 35 minutes.
• The biscotti can be made ahead. Store them in an airtight container up to 4 days, or wrap them in foil and freeze in re-sealable plastic bags up to 3 weeks.

ANISE BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Line a baking pan with foil; set aside. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, aniseed, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg; set aside., In a large bowl, cream butter and 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and eggs. Stir in almonds and reserved flour mixture. , Divide dough in half. Shape each into a 12-in. x 2-in. rectangle on the prepared baking pan. Smooth the surface of each rectangle; brush with milk and sprinkle with remaining sugar., Bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until golden brown and firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and reduce heat to 300°., Transfer rectangles with foil to a wire racks; cool for 15 minutes. Place rectangles on a cutting board; cut diagonally into 1/2-in. slices. Place slices, cut side down, on baking pans. , Bake 10-12 minutes longer. Turn oven off, leaving cookies in oven to cool with door ajar. Store cookies in airtight containers.

ANISE BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or foil.
• In large mixing bowl, beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine brandy, anise extract and vanilla in a small bowl or measuring cup. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Alternately add dry ingredients and brandy mixture to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Stir in the almonds and aniseed.
• Drop dough by spoonfuls onto prepared sheet, forming two 2 x 13-inch long strips on each sheet. Smooth dough into logs with moistened fingertips.
• Bake about30 to 35 minutes or until golden and firm to the touch. Place cookie sheets on racks and cool completely. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.
• Cut cooled logs on the diagonal into 3/4-inch thick slices using a serrated knife. Place slices on cookie sheets.
• Bake for about 20 minutes, turning after 10 minutes, until dry and slightly brown. Remove to a rack and cool.

AUNT GEN'S BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using an electric mixer, cream together shortening and sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add anise extract and vanilla extract, and mix well.
• In a separate bowl, sift together 4 cups of flour, cream of tartar and baking powder. Stir in anise seeds and hazelnuts. Gradually add to shortening mixture, mixing well; dough will be soft and sticky.
• Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Using floured hands, lightly knead the dough, sprinkling with flour as needed until dough is soft but no longer sticky. Pat dough into four loaves a scant 1/2 inch high (they will rise when baked), about 3 inches wide, and 6 to 8 inches long.
• Spray two baking sheets with oil, and place loaves on them. Bake until lightly browned, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven, and cut diagonally into slices about 1 inch wide. Place slices cut-side down and return to oven to bake until undersides are light golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Turn cookies and bake again 8 to 10 minutes until cookies are hard and golden brown on both sides.

AUNT VICTORIA'S BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place kernels on a baking sheet, and toast in oven until they smell nutty, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool. Chop finely.
• In bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle, cream butter until fluffy. Add sugar, and cream again until fluffy. Beat in eggs until mixture is smooth. Beat in grappa, anise extract and aniseed. In another bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt. Beat them in just until mixed. Stir in chopped kernels.
• Lower oven temperature to 325. Set an oven rack in upper third of oven. On a lightly floured board, make rolls of dough an inch or so thick and the length of your baking sheet. Set them on the sheet 2 inches apart, and bake on the oven rack until they are set and lightly browned on top, about 25 minutes. Cool rolls on a rack 5 minutes, and slice diagonally 1/2 inch thick.
• Lay slices back on baking sheet, and return to 325-degree oven for 5 minutes to dry them. Turn slices, and dry 5 minutes more. Cool on a rack, and store in a tightly covered container. The flavor improves if cookies are stored a few days.

AUNT COLLIE'S SOFT BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Cream together the sugar and crisco.
• Add eggs and mix well.
• Add Anise (or lemon) extract, salt, baking powder and milk.
• Add flour 1/2 cup at-a-time and mix together.
• Grease a cookie sheet and, using a large soup spoon, make a line of dough.
• Smooth dough to connect each mound to make one loaf.
• Bake at 350 degrees till lightly browned.
• Approximately 15 minutes.
• Frosting:.
• Mix all ingredients together.
• Frosting should not be thin, nor thick, but an oozing consistency.

AUNT MARY'S ITALIAN BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar.
• add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.
• Add vanilla.
• Sift together flour, baking powder and salt and ad slowly to creamed mixture.
• Stir in lemon and orange peels, anise seeds and nuts and blend well.
• divide dough into 3 parts and shape each into long roll about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
• Place rolls on cookie sheet several inches apart and flatten rolls somewhat.
• Bake at 350F for 15 minutes.
• Remove and slice rolls crosswise 3/4 inches.
• Lay cut side down and bake additional 7 minutes.
• Flip to other side of cookie and bake another 7 minutes.
• Makes approx 4 dozen biscotti. ENJOY!
• Freezes well.
• Note: If you want sweeter, increase sugar to 1 full cup.