Italian Torcetti Cookiesbiscotti Recipes

ITALIAN EASTER COOKIES (BISCOTTI)

Steps:

• Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
• Cream together shortening and white sugar in a bowl until creamy. Add 1 egg at a time, mixing well after each. Add 2 teaspoons anise extract and vanilla extract. Slowly add milk and mix until all ingredients are blended. Slowly add flour mixture, and mix until thick but creamy. Place dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Coat a work surface and hands with flour. Take a quarter-sized piece of dough and roll into a long narrow sausage shape. Form into desired shapes, such as "s" shapes, twists, candy canes, letters, etc. Cookies will puff up when baked, so be sure each cookie is only about the width of a pinky finger. Place cookies on a baking sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart.
• Bake in the preheated oven until light golden in color and golden brown on the bottom, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Place confectioners' sugar in a bowl and add 2 teaspoons anise extract. Mix in milk 1 tablespoon at a time until icing is smooth and creamy and not too drippy. Coat cooled cookies with icing and top with sprinkles.

TORCETTI

Steps:

• Place flour in a large bowl; cut in butter and shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside. In another large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Add the eggs, sugar, vanilla and 2 cups of the crumb mixture; beat until well blended. Gradually beat in remaining crumb mixture., Turn onto a floured surface; knead for 3-4 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch dough down; divide into 6 portions. Shape each portion into twelve 6-in. ropes about 1/4 in. thick; roll in confectioners' sugar. Shape each rope into a loop. Holding both ends of loop, twist together 3 times., Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. Roll warm cookies in additional confectioners' sugar. Cool on wire racks.

BISCOTTI REGINA - SICILIAN SESAME SEED COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl stir together all-purpose flour; sugar; ammonium carbonate (or baking powder) and salt.
• Add cold cubed butter and use your fingers or a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.
• Make a well in the center and add an egg, freshly grated orange zest and 3 tbsp. of milk. Stir together to form a dough. If the mixture is dry add an extra tbsp. of milk, as needed, to form a slightly tacky dough.
• Shape into a round dough, flatten into a disc and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Prepare 2 baking sheets and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a small bowl filled with water; place sesame seeds in a second bowl.
• Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Work with one piece of dough at a time keeping the rest wrapped. Roll into a long rope about the width of your thumb. Cut into 5 cm lengths.
• Moisten each cut piece of dough lightly with water with your fingers and roll in the sesame seeds to coat all sides.
• Place an inch apart on the prepared baking sheets as they will expand during baking. Continue with the remaining dough.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool before serving.