Biscotti are a wonderful, super crisp cookie from Italy. These long, thin treats are a cafe staple and can easily become an everyday coffee time treat in your home.
The name Biscotti means twice baked in Italian. Dating all the way back to Ancient Rome, Biscotti were made for their ease of storage and were often packed for long trips. Today their crisp, solid texture lends itself to being dunked into a cup of coffee or a glass of wine and they are often served in coffee shops and restaurants alongside a demitasse of espresso.
In Italy, sweet wines are often served as the last course of a meal and biscotti are frequently served with a glass of port or vinsanto.
Don't let these little cookies fool you though. They may have an elegant existance but their roots are in the humble bisquit. They are every bit as much at home with a glass of milk or hot chocolate as they are in a more formal surrounding.
Cherry Almond Biscotti:
Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 c flour
- 1 c sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp milk
- 3/4 c chopped, blanched almonds
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1/2 c butter at room temp
- 1 c dried cherries or well drained, towel dried marachino cherries
Mixing Instructions:
- Cream sugar and butter together until well blended
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition
- Pour in milk and almond extract
- In a separate bowl, mix remaining dry ingredients together (do not add almonds or cherries yet)
- Stir flour mixture into butter mixture a little at a time being sure to moisten all of the flour
- Add in almonds and cherries
Preparation:
- Heat oven to 350
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment
- Divide dough into two parts
- Roll each section of dough into a rough oval shape and place on cookie sheet
- Flatten dough evenly to about a height of 1"
Baking Instructions:
- Place cookie sheet in center of pre-heated oven and bake for 25 to 30 min
- Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 min
- Using a sharp knife (preferably one with a serrated edge) cut each section into strips about 3/4 " wide
- Lay each cookie on it's side and bake 5 or 6 min
- Turn cookies on opposite side and cook an additional 5 or 6 min
- Remove from oven and allow to cool completely
After cookies have cooled completely, they can be stored in an airtight container for several days or frozen for up to four months.
The purpose of baking biscotti the second time is to dry them out and cause them to become super crisp. It is hard to overcook a biscotti; cook them as long as you like, the longer they bake the drier they will be. The only limit on baking time is how dark you want your cookie. They can also be baked for longer periods of time at lower temperatures.
Biscotti are good when dipped in chocolate and allowed to dry. For added flair as well as taste,after dipping the biscotti in chocolate, they can be sprinkled with flaked coconut, ground nuts or bits of dried fruit.
Serve Biscotti with coffee, tea, wine, puddings or fresh fruit.
