Italian Biscotti Cookies 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.

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.

ITALIAN BISCOTTI COOKIES

Steps:

• In mixer blend butter and sugar, add eggs, one at a time and mix together. Add whiskey, vanilla, anise flavor and mix.
• Sift flour, salt and baking powder and gradually add to above mixture. Blend well.
• By hand, mix in nuts and anise seed -- MIx well.
• On a greased cookie sheet, using two spatulas, make rows of dough about 1 1/2 inches wide, more or less. Use spatualr to make somewhat of a roll.
• Bake 350 degrees, about 20 minutes, until light brown. Take out and cool a bit (put next batch i9n oven.
• Slice first batch in diagonal slices, arrange cookies on each side, put back in oven and bake each side for 10-15 min ( until brown).

ITALIAN BISCOTTI

Steps:

• In a large mixer bowl combine the eggs, egg whites, vanilla, and anise; mix until well-combined.
• Add the sugar, flour, soda, and salt; beat until a dough forms.
• Add the nuts.
• Turn the sticky dough onto a lightly floured board; knead several times.
• Divide the dough in half.
• With floured hands, form the dough into two flattish logs, about 15" long by 2" wide.
• Place the logs about 3" apart on a baking sheet that has been sprayed lighted with cooking spray.
• Bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes.
• Remove and cool for 10 minutes.
• Reduce oven to 275 degrees.
• On a cutting board, cut the logs diagonally into 3/4" thick slices.
• Arrange the slices on the baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes; turn and bake another 10-12 minutes.
• Turn heat off and leave biscotti to crisp in the oven for another 15 minutes.
• Remove and cool completely.

CHOCOLATE CHILE BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar and chile powder on medium-low speed until smooth and well combined, about 2 minutes.
• Increase the speed to medium. With the mixer running, add the eggs, 1 at a time, pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed, then add the vanilla extract. Beat until well mixed, about 1 minute.
• Turn the speed to low and, with the mixer running, add the flour mixture a little at a time. Continue mixing until the dry ingredients are almost incorporated, scraping the bowl as needed, then add the cashews and chocolate chips all at once. Keep mixing until the cashews and chocolate have integrated and a thick dough has formed.
• Divide the dough in half and roll each half into a 12-inch log. (You can use a sheet of wax or parchment paper to help roll the dough evenly, or dust with extra flour if the dough is sticky.) Place both logs on a half-sheet pan lined with parchment paper, then flatten both logs with your palms until about 1-inch thick. Sprinkle each with a little granulated sugar to evenly coat.
• Bake until the logs lose their sheen, 20 to 25 minutes. There should still be some softness in the middle of each log when gently pressed. Be careful not to overbake, as the logs may break when sliced later.
• Turn off the oven, take out the biscotti and let cool on the sheet pan for a few hours. (The longer they rest, the easier they will be to slice without breaking.)
• For the second bake, heat the oven to 300 degrees. (The temperature is lower for gentler, more even baking.)
• Using a serrated knife, slice each log at an angle into ½-inch slices. You may trim and discard the ends or bake them along with the other slices - they taste just as good. Place the slices, cut sides down, on the same parchment-lined half-sheet pan. (You don't need to be careful about spacing them out.)
• Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the biscotti are no longer soft to the touch. They will harden a little further after cooling. Remove from the oven and cool completely on the pan. The biscotti will keep for 2 weeks in an airtight container at room temperature.