Basic Biscotti Food

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.

EASY BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Cream butter and sugar.
• Add Eggs.
• Mix until smooth.
• Add orange zest and almond extract.
• Continue mixing until well blended.
• Sift in flour, baking powder and salt.
• Stir in almonds.
• On floured board, divide dough in half and using your hands roll and form each half into a long roll (approx 1 1/2 diameter by 10 inches long).
• Place rolls lengthwise on a cookie sheet approx 2 inches apart.
• Bake rolls at 350 for about 20- 25 minutes.
• Take rolls out of oven and cool for 5 minutes (leaving them on the cookie sheet).
• Using a sharp knife slice across each roll diagonally into 1/2 inch thick slices (I usually make the slices about 3 inches long).
• Lay the slices flat on the cookie sheet, then bake for 8 minutes.
• Turn slices over and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes until slightly golden.
• Remove and cool biscottis on a rack.
• Store in an airtight container once they are cooled.

MARK BITTMAN'S BASIC BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375.
• With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating until incorporated; add extract and beat until incorporated.
• Butter and flour two cookie sheets (or spritz 'em with baking spray; that worked well for me). Divide dough in half and shape each into a "log" about 2" wide. This will spread quite a bit during baking, so if you try to cram 'em on to one baking sheet, bear that in mind.
• Bake until logs are golden and beginning to crack on top. Bittman says this is 30 minutes; for me, it was closer to 25 minutes. (At 30 minutes mine were a little overdone.) Remove from oven and drop temperature to 250.
• When loaves are cool enough to touch, slice each into 1/2-inch slices, on the diagnonal. (You can always eat the little nubby ends that are left over!)
• Return the slices to the baking sheets and return them to the oven. Bake at 250 for another 15 to 20 minutes, turning once.
• Cool on wire racks.
• NOTE: Mr. Bittman makes lots of wonderful suggestions for variations. I threw in a cup of chopped blanched almonds and half a cup of currants, and used almond extract. You can throw in any spice you like (cinnamon, anise, nutmeg); a cup of nuts (almonds or hazelnuts); chocolate chips; citrus zest; crystallized ginger; dried fruit -- you can change the flavor of your extract to match. You can also wait until your biscotti are cool, and then top 'em with a chocolate glaze (4 oz. good chocolate mixed with 2 tablespoons butter and a little extract for flavoring).
• Enjoy!

BASIC BISCOTTI

Steps:

• PREHEAT OVEN TO 350 degrees F.
• Spread almonds on a baking sheet and toast them in oven until lightly golden.
• Let cool.
• Coarsely chop half the nuts.
• Butter 2 large baking sheets.
• Mix flour, sugar, salt and baking soda.
• Beat in eggs, then whole and chopped nuts.
• Mix to obtain a firm dough.
• Knead briefly, then divide dough into 2 pieces.
• On a floured work surface, roll each piece under your hands into a cylinder 15 inches long and about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
• Place 2 rolls, well separated, on each baking sheet and bake 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned and firm to the touch.
• With a spatula, carefully transfer the rolls to a cutting board and slice each onediagonally into cookies about 1/2-inch thick.
• Set wire racks on the baking sheets and lay out the biscotti on them.
• Return them to the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until very firm and crisp.
• Cool on the racks, then transfer them to a tin for long keeping.

BASIC BISCOTTI RECIPE

Steps:

• Cream together oil and sugar; beat in eggs and then vanilla. Add sifted flour and remaining dry ingredients and mix well.
• Fold in fruits or nuts or other ingredients if you are adding any.
• Flour your hands so the dough doesn't stick to you and form 2 loaves or "flat logs" on a cookie sheet making them the width of cookie you want.
• Bake the loaves at 375 deg. F for 15 minutes then lower temperature to 300 deg. F and bake for 30 minutes. When the loaves are nicely browned on the outside, take them out of the oven.
• Using a bread knife, slice loaves into individual cookies about 1/2 to 3/4" thick. Place freshly cut biscotti on the cookiesheet on their side and put back into the oven for 5 minutes on each side to crisp up.
• Yummy treat.

BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. 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 2 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, until golden brown. Remove from the baking sheet to cool on a wire rack. When the cookies are cool enough to handle, slice each 1 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. Cookie slices should be lightly toasted.

HOLIDAY BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Whisk the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar, butter, lemon zest, and salt in a large bowl to blend. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time. Add the flour mixture and beat just until blended. Stir in the pistachios and cranberries.
• Form the dough into a 13-inch-long, 3-inch-wide log on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until light golden, about 40 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes.
• Place the log on the cutting board. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the log on a diagonal into 1/2- to 3/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the biscotti cut side down on the baking sheet. Bake the biscotti until they are pale golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer the biscotti to a rack and cool completely.
• Stir the chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until the chocolate melts. Dip half of the biscotti into the melted chocolate. Gently shake off the excess chocolate. Place the biscotti on the baking sheet for the chocolate to set. Sprinkle with the sugar crystals. Refrigerate until the chocolate is firm, about 35 minutes.
• The biscotti can be made ahead. Store them in an airtight container up to 4 days, or wrap them in foil and freeze in re-sealable plastic bags up to 3 weeks.

BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Mix together the flour, sugar and baking powder in a large bowl. Add the oil, vanilla and eggs and stir together. Toss in the add ins and combine with your hands. Form the dough into 3 to 4 loaves, depending on how big you want your cookies to be. (I do 4 loaves.) Place the loaves on parchment paper on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
• Bake until golden brown, about 40 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes, then slice on the bias. If you prefer traditional biscotti, after slicing, lay them flat on the cookie sheet. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F and continue to bake for another 10 to 15 minutes.

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.

BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Position rack in center of oven. With a small knife, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and place in a small bowl. Add the sugar and use your fingers to mix the vanilla evenly into the sugar. Set aside. With an electric mixer, cream the butter until light. Add the vanilla sugar and mix until fluffy. Add the eggs and the vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and almonds and stir into the butter mixture.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the dough into 3 pieces. On a lightly floured surface, shape each piece of dough into a log that is about 1 1/4 inches in diameter. Place the logs on the baking sheet, spacing them as far apart as possible. Bake in the center of the oven until lightly browned, about 30 minutes.
• Place the logs on a cutting board and let them cool slightly. With a serrated knife, cut the logs on the diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick pieces. Place on the baking sheet, cut side down. Bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes, turning once. Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool. Store in an airtight container.

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.

BASIC ITALIAN BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Sift flour and measure. Resift with sugar and baking powder onto a flat surface. Cut shortening into dry ingredients until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.
• Make a well in flour and break eggs into it. Add vanilla, and knead dough well for about 5 minutes until it is smooth, adding a little more flour if dough seems to soft and sticky.
• Pinch off bits of dough about the size of an apricot, and form into desired shapes. Cookies may be baked as rings, strips, or in letters, such as S.
• Place 1 inch apart on greased cookie sheet and bake in hot 450 degree F (230 degrees C) oven for 10 minutes, until golden brown. Watch carefully, because they burn easily.

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.

EASY BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4, and line a baking tray with baking parchment. Put the flour, sugars, baking powder and a large pinch of salt in a large bowl and stir together.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, egg, vanilla and 3 tbsp hot water. Gradually mix the wet ingredients into the dry until the mixture comes together into a dough. Gently knead the dough until smooth - it will be quite dry, so add another 1 tbsp water if it's too difficult to knead after a few minutes. Divide the dough into two equal pieces, shaping each into a 25 x 8cm log. Put the logs on the prepared baking tray and bake for 25-30 mins. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on the tray for around 15 mins.
• Using a sharp knife, cut the slightly cooled logs into 1-2cm-thick slices crosswise. Return the biscotti to the lined baking tray and bake for 15-20 mins more (the oven should still be at 180C/160C fan/gas 4), turning the tray around halfway through. Leave to cool slightly on the tray, then transfer the biscotti to a wire rack and leave to cool completely. If you like, dip one end of each biscotti into some melted chocolate, then leave to set on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Will keep in an airtight container for up to five days.