Basic Biscotti Recipes

BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, beat together the oil, eggs, sugar and anise flavoring until well blended. Combine the flour and baking powder, stir into the egg mixture to form a heavy dough. Divide dough into two pieces. Form each piece into a roll as long as your cookie sheet. Place roll onto the prepared cookie sheet, and press down to 1/2 inch thickness.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Remove from the baking sheet to cool on a wire rack. When The cookies are cool enough to handle, slice each one crosswise into 1/2 inch slices. Place the slices cut side up back onto the baking sheet. Bake for an additional 6 to 10 minutes on each side. Slices should be lightly toasted.

BASIC ITALIAN BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Sift flour and measure. Resift with sugar and baking powder onto a flat surface. Cut shortening into dry ingredients until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.
• Make a well in flour and break eggs into it. Add vanilla, and knead dough well for about 5 minutes until it is smooth, adding a little more flour if dough seems to soft and sticky.
• Pinch off bits of dough about the size of an apricot, and form into desired shapes. Cookies may be baked as rings, strips, or in letters, such as S.
• Place 1 inch apart on greased cookie sheet and bake in hot 450 degree F (230 degrees C) oven for 10 minutes, until golden brown. Watch carefully, because they burn easily.

CLASSIC BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, anise seeds, salt, and nuts. Transfer to mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add eggs; beat until a stiff dough comes together, about 3 minutes.
• Divide dough in half. Form each half into a 12-inch log. (Dough may be sticky; dampen your hands for easier handling.) Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and flatten so each log is 13 inches long, 2 1/4 inches wide, and 3/4 inch thick.
• Brush logs with beaten egg and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake until firm and very pale golden, about 35 minutes. Let cool on pans on a wire rack, 40 minutes. Meanwhile, reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.
• Using a serrated knife with a sawing motion, cut logs into slices slightly thicker than 1/4 inch. Arrange, cut-side up, on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until dry to touch, about 30 minutes. Let cool completely on pans on racks, 30 minutes. Store in an airtight container up to 1 month.

BASIC BISCOTTI

Steps:

• PREHEAT OVEN TO 350 degrees F.
• Spread almonds on a baking sheet and toast them in oven until lightly golden.
• Let cool.
• Coarsely chop half the nuts.
• Butter 2 large baking sheets.
• Mix flour, sugar, salt and baking soda.
• Beat in eggs, then whole and chopped nuts.
• Mix to obtain a firm dough.
• Knead briefly, then divide dough into 2 pieces.
• On a floured work surface, roll each piece under your hands into a cylinder 15 inches long and about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
• Place 2 rolls, well separated, on each baking sheet and bake 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned and firm to the touch.
• With a spatula, carefully transfer the rolls to a cutting board and slice each onediagonally into cookies about 1/2-inch thick.
• Set wire racks on the baking sheets and lay out the biscotti on them.
• Return them to the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until very firm and crisp.
• Cool on the racks, then transfer them to a tin for long keeping.

BASIC BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350. Beat eggs and add sugar to blend. Add salt. Sift flour and baking powder and add all at once to eggs. Stir just to blend. Add flavoring or garnish. Spoon mixture lengthwise onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or greased. Spoon into a "log", shape as wide as you choose, the width of the "log" will determine the length of the cut biscotti. Make as many "logs" as you have mix. Allow logs to sit for about 10 minutes at room temperature before baking. Bake at 350 for approximately 20 minutes or until center of log springs back when touched. Remove from oven and let cool thoroughly. Cut logs into strips crosswise. Standard is about 1/2 inch. Place each biscotti cut side down onto cookie sheet lined with parchment or lightly greased. Bake again for approximately 15 minutes or until lightly browned on edges. Cool thoroughly, then store in airtight container;
• For Hazelnut: 2 cups roughly chopped, sliced, or whole hazelnuts .
• For Lemon/Poppy: grated rind of three lemons, 1 teaspoon poppy seeds .
• For Ginger: 1 1/2 cups chopped crystallized (candied) ginger.

BASIC BISCOTTI RECIPE

Steps:

• Cream together oil and sugar; beat in eggs and then vanilla. Add sifted flour and remaining dry ingredients and mix well.
• Fold in fruits or nuts or other ingredients if you are adding any.
• Flour your hands so the dough doesn't stick to you and form 2 loaves or "flat logs" on a cookie sheet making them the width of cookie you want.
• Bake the loaves at 375 deg. F for 15 minutes then lower temperature to 300 deg. F and bake for 30 minutes. When the loaves are nicely browned on the outside, take them out of the oven.
• Using a bread knife, slice loaves into individual cookies about 1/2 to 3/4" thick. Place freshly cut biscotti on the cookiesheet on their side and put back into the oven for 5 minutes on each side to crisp up.
• Yummy treat.

EASY BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4, and line a baking tray with baking parchment. Put the flour, sugars, baking powder and a large pinch of salt in a large bowl and stir together.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, egg, vanilla and 3 tbsp hot water. Gradually mix the wet ingredients into the dry until the mixture comes together into a dough. Gently knead the dough until smooth - it will be quite dry, so add another 1 tbsp water if it's too difficult to knead after a few minutes. Divide the dough into two equal pieces, shaping each into a 25 x 8cm log. Put the logs on the prepared baking tray and bake for 25-30 mins. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on the tray for around 15 mins.
• Using a sharp knife, cut the slightly cooled logs into 1-2cm-thick slices crosswise. Return the biscotti to the lined baking tray and bake for 15-20 mins more (the oven should still be at 180C/160C fan/gas 4), turning the tray around halfway through. Leave to cool slightly on the tray, then transfer the biscotti to a wire rack and leave to cool completely. If you like, dip one end of each biscotti into some melted chocolate, then leave to set on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Will keep in an airtight container for up to five days.