Classic Biscotti Recipes

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.

CLASSIC BISCOTTI RECIPE - 4 WAYS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy.
• Add the eggs and vanilla extract. If you would like to add almond extract or anise extract, add it now. Mix until well combined.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, white whole wheat flour, baking powder and salt.
• Add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl and mix on low speed until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Divide the dough in half. Shape each half into a ball and then use your hands to shape each ball into a log that is about 8 inches long.
• Place the logs on the prepared baking sheet. Use your hands to flatten the dough logs until they are about 3/4-inch thick. Gently press the sides and ends of the logs to even them out and flatten them.
• If desired, sprinkle the logs with turbinado sugar.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes, until lightly golden and the center of the logs is almost firm and bounces back when touched.
• Let the logs cool on the baking sheet for 30 minutes.
• Use a sharp knife to cut the logs into biscotti shape, on the diagonal. Press straight down with the knife, rather than sawing.
• Place the biscotti, cut side up, on the baking sheet. Bake for 12-16 more minutes, until dry. The centers of the cookies will be slightly soft and will crisp as they cool.
• Store biscotti in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 weeks or in the freezer for 3 months.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy.
• Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, all purpose flour, white whole wheat flour, baking powder and salt.
• Add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl and mix on low speed until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Mix in the chocolate chips and nuts, if using.
• Divide the dough in half. Shape each half into a ball and then use your hands to shape each ball into a log that is about 8 inches long.
• Place the logs on the prepared baking sheet. Use your hands to flatten the dough logs until they are about 3/4-inch thick. Gently press the sides and ends of the logs to even them out and flatten them.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes, until lightly golden and the center of the logs is almost firm and bounces back when touched.
• Let the logs cool on the baking sheet for 30 minutes.
• Use a sharp knife to cut the logs into biscotti shape, on the diagonal. Press straight down with the knife, rather than sawing.
• Place the biscotti, cut side up, on the baking sheet. Bake for 12-16 more minutes, until dry. The centers of the cookies will be slightly soft and will crisp as they cool.
• Store biscotti in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 weeks or in the freezer for 3 months.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy.
• Add the eggs, almond extract and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, white whole wheat flour, baking powder and salt.
• Add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl and mix on low speed until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Stir in the chopped almonds.
• Divide the dough in half. Shape each half into a ball and then use your hands to shape each ball into a log that is about 8 inches long.
• Place the logs on the prepared baking sheet. Use your hands to flatten the dough logs until they are about 3/4-inch thick. Gently press the sides and ends of the logs to even them out and flatten them.
• If desired, sprinkle the logs with turbinado sugar.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes, until lightly golden and the center of the logs is almost firm and bounces back when touched.
• Let the logs cool on the baking sheet for 30 minutes.
• Use a sharp knife to cut the logs into biscotti shape, on the diagonal. Press straight down with the knife, rather than sawing.
• Place the biscotti, cut side up, on the baking sheet. Bake for 12-16 more minutes, until dry. The centers of the cookies will be slightly soft and will crisp as they cool.
• Store biscotti in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 weeks or in the freezer for 3 months.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy.
• Add the eggs, vanilla extract and orange zest. Mix until well combined.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, white whole wheat flour, baking powder and salt.
• Add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl and mix on low speed until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Mix in the dried cranberries.
• Divide the dough in half. Shape each half into a ball and then use your hands to shape each ball into a log that is about 8 inches long.
• Place the logs on the prepared baking sheet. Use your hands to flatten the dough logs until they are about 3/4-inch thick. Gently press the sides and ends of the logs to even them out and flatten them.
• If desired, sprinkle the logs with turbinado sugar.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes, until lightly golden and the center of the logs is almost firm and bounces back when touched.
• Let the logs cool on the baking sheet for 30 minutes.
• Use a sharp knife to cut the logs into biscotti shape, on the diagonal. Press straight down with the knife, rather than sawing.
• Place the biscotti, cut side up, on the baking sheet. Bake for 12-16 more minutes, until dry. The centers of the cookies will be slightly soft and will crisp as they cool.
• Store biscotti in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 weeks or in the freezer for 3 months.

ITALIAN BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F ( 165 degrees C ).
• In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Add eggs one at a time; beat until fluffy. Stir in the anise and vanilla extracts. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt; Add them to the egg mixture along with the chopped almonds. Stir with a spoon and as the dough comes together, Knead by hand.
• Divide the dough into 4 parts. Roll each piece into a log about 15 inches long. Place logs onto cookie sheets, 2 to a sheet, the long way. Flatten the logs out until they are about 3 inches wide with a slight hump going down the middle. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, loaves should be firm. Cut the loaves into diagonal slices 1/2 inch wide, place the slices onto the cookie sheets and return to the oven. Toast on one side, then turn them over to do the other side. This will take about 7 to 10 minutes.

CLASSIC ITALIAN ALMOND BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Place almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast in the 350-degree oven for 10 minutes, or until light golden and aromatic. Remove and set aside.
• In a large bowl, hand mix toasted almonds, sugars, cinnamon, baking powder and flour.
• In a small bowl, whisk eggs. Add the vanilla and orange zest and whisk until well-blended. Add to the flour mixture.
• Work the batter together with lightly floured hands. The mixture will be sticky, but persevere. Keep squeezing the batter with your hands until a dough starts to form. Once the dough is firm, form it into a ball. Divide the ball into four equal pieces.
• Place one piece of dough on a lightly floured surface. Using your hands, roll it into a log that is approximately 8 inches long, 2 inches wide and 3/4 of an inch high. Repeat with remaining three pieces of dough. Place two logs on each baking sheet. Brush loaves all over with egg wash.
• Bake for 40 minutes, rotating pans midway through. The tops of the loaves will be shiny and deep golden. Cool on a rack for about 20 minutes.
• Place a loaf on a cutting board, and using a large serrated knife, slice cookies 3/4 of an inch thick on the diagonal. If the cookie crumbles, let it cool for a few more minutes. Don't let it rest too long, however, or it could become too hard to slice.
• Place slices on their sides back on the baking sheets. Place in the still-warm oven with the temperature off and the door closed for 30 to 60 minutes. The longer they stay in the oven, the harder they will become. Remove from oven and cool completely before storing in an air-tight container, preferably a metal tin, which helps keep them crisp. Stored properly, biscotti will last up to a month.