Anna Olson Biscotti Food

CHOCOLATE BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
• With electric beaters or a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment, whip the eggs, yolk, sugar and vanilla on high speed until it holds a ribbon when the beaters are lifted, about 3 minutes.
• Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt and fold this into the whipped eggs until fully incorporated (the mixture will deflate a little, and seem like a cake batter in consistency). Stir in the pistachios and chocolate chunks (or chips) and spoon this onto the prepared baking tray and spread into the rough shape of a single log - the batter will be soft, so don't worry if the shape isn't too precise. Bake this for about 35 minutes, until a tester inserted into the centre of the cantucci log comes out clean - because of the melted chocolate chunks within, you may have to test in a few places. Allow this to cool for about 20 minutes and reduce the oven temperature to 300 F (150 C).
• Remove the cantucci log to a cutting board and use a serrated knife to slice across the width into cookies that are ½-inch thick. Arrange these on the lined baking trays (you'll need 2 trays for this step) and bake for 12 minutes. Remove the trays from the oven and flip the cantucci over, returning to the oven to bake another 12 minutes. Cool the cantucci on the tray. If you find that after cooling, the cantucci aren't crunchy all the way through, you can return them to the oven to bake a few more minutes.

ALMOND AND RAISIN BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the butter and granulated sugar and beat, with a whisk or hand mixer, until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides periodically. Add the orange zest and beat in the
• whole eggs one at a time. Stir in the vanilla.
• Gently mix in the flour, baking powder and salt. Once the flour is incorporated, fold in the almonds, raisins and anise.
• Divide the dough into two pieces. If the dough is sticky, dust your hands with a little flour. Roll the dough into two logs the length of a sheet tray and place on the tray. Beat the egg white with 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Brush the logs with the egg white and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar. Bake until dark golden brown, slightly crisp around the edges and still a bit soft in the middle, about 30 minutes.
• Remove from the oven to a cutting board and slice on the bias with a serrated knife while they are still warm. Slicing while warm will prevent crumbling.
• Lay the biscotti back on the sheet tray(s), cut-sides down, and return to the oven until a little more golden around the edges, another 10 minutes. This will harden the biscotti but not make them like rocks.
• Remove from the oven to a serving platter and serve with coffee or Vin Santo for dipping.
• Biscolicious!

THE BEST ALMOND BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Adjust rack to center position and heat the oven to 350 degree. Line a cookie sheet with wax or parchment paper.
• Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nuts in a large bowl and stir to combine. In a small bowl combine the eggs, butter and vanilla and whisk to fully combine.
• Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the egg mixture. Using a rubber spatula, mix to combine until a rough dough forms.
• Dump the dough onto a work surface and knead a couple of times until the dough comes together, adding extra flour sparingly and only if necessary. Start to form the dough into a big, fat cigar and cut it in half. Form each half into a cigar about 1 inch thick, 2 inches wide and about 12 inches long. Place them onto the cookie sheet and lightly press with fingers to slightly flat cigars.
• Bake for 25 minutes reversing the pan halfway through. The bars will be firm to the touch and just slightly browned. Remove from the oven and lower the temperature to 300 degrees. Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 15 minutes.
• Remove cookies to a cutting board using two spatulas. Using a serrated knife, slice the bars on an angle about 1/2 inch tick to form the biscotti. Lay them back on the cookie sheet with either cut side down and place back in oven for 15 minutes. Turn each cookie to expose the other cut side and place in oven for another 15 minutes. Let cool on a rack to room temperature. Place cookies in an airtight container.

CHOCOLATE, ALMOND, AND DRIED CRANBERRY BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Sift first 5 ingredients into large bowl. Whisk eggs and vanilla in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and melted butter into dry ingredients. Stir in cranberries and almonds.
• Turn dough out onto floured surface. Using floured hands, divide dough into 3 equal pieces. Shape each into 8x2x3/4-inch log. Place 2 logs on 1 baking sheet, spacing evenly, and 1 log on second sheet.
• Bake logs 12 minutes. Reverse position of baking sheets. Bake logs until firm and dry to touch, about 12 minutes longer. Remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
• Transfer logs to work surface. Using serrated knife, cut hot logs diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place slices, cut side down, on same baking sheets. Bake biscotti until dry and slightly darker, about 10 minutes. Transfer to racks; cool.
• If desired, stir white chocolate in bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water until smooth. Remove from over water. Dip biscotti 1 at a time into chocolate, holding cookie at angle and coating 1 inch of each. Return to same baking sheets. Chill until chocolate is set, about 20 minutes. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Arrange between sheets of waxed paper in airtight containers; store at room temperature.)

ANNA'S TWICE BAKED ALMOND BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add extract; gradually add dry ingredients and knead until a soft uniform dough is formed.
• Divide dough in half.
• Turn dough out onto a well-greased cookie sheet and form dough into a log about 9-inches long.
• Gently press down to flatten alittle.
• Brush with milk and Bake in a Preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.
• Remove from oven and with a serated knife cut the biscotti into 1/2" diagonal slices.
• Lay the cookie flat side down and return to oven until light gold in color.
• Cool.
• Freezes very well.