Italian Nut Biscotti Food

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.

TRIPLE NUT BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 350F (180C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• On a plain cookie sheet place the nuts (break up the walnuts into smaller pieces) in a single layer and roast for 5-8 minutes. Remove from pan and place in a small bowl, let cool.
• In a large bowl beat 2 eggs and the sugar for 1 minute, then add the flour, salt, baking powder, honey, vanilla and zest, with the dough hook attachment mix the dough, when almost combined stir in the nuts.
• Move the dough to a lightly floured flat surface and gently knead into a soft dough.
• Divide into 3 parts and form into 3 logs. Approximately 8-10 inches (20-25cm) long, place on prepared cookie sheet and brush with beaten egg, bake for approximately 20 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and cut each log into 1/4 inch slices on the diagonal, place cut side up on the cookie sheet and bake again for approximately 5-10 minutes or until dry. Let cool completely before serving. Enjoy!

ITALIAN NUT BISCOTTI

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir together sugar,butter,anise seeds,anisette, and whiskey;(I use mixer) Beat in eggs.
• In another bowl, stir together flour and baking powder.
• Gradually add to sugar mixture, blending thoroughly,Mix in almonds.
• Cover tightly with Plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.
• Directly on greased baking sheets,shape dough with hands to form flat loaves about 1/2 inch thick,2 inches wide, as long as baking sheets.
• Place loaves parallel and 4 inches apart,(this make 6 loaves).
• Bake in a 375 degrees oven for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Remove loaves from oven and let cool on baking sheets until you can touch them.
• Cut diagonally into 1/2 to 3/4-inch-thick slices;Place slices close together (on same baking sheet, cut sides down} on baking sheets.
• Bake 375 degree oven for 15 more minutes or until lightly toasted.
• Transfer to racks to cool;Store air tight container.

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 NUT BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Grease and lightly flour cookie sheet.
• In a small bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt.
• Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well after each addition. Stir in chocolate and nuts.
• Divide dough into two equal parts. On floured surface, shape dough into two logs, 14 inches long, 1-1/2 inches wide and 1 inch thick. Place two inches apart on prepared cookie sheet.
• Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to a cutting board. Let cool 5 minutes. Cut into 3/4 inch thick diagonal slices and return to cookie sheet, standing upright.
• Bake 10 minutes more or until slightly dry. Cool completely on wire racks.

ANISE BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Line a baking pan with foil; set aside. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, aniseed, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg; set aside., In a large bowl, cream butter and 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and eggs. Stir in almonds and reserved flour mixture. , Divide dough in half. Shape each into a 12-in. x 2-in. rectangle on the prepared baking pan. Smooth the surface of each rectangle; brush with milk and sprinkle with remaining sugar., Bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until golden brown and firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and reduce heat to 300°., Transfer rectangles with foil to a wire racks; cool for 15 minutes. Place rectangles on a cutting board; cut diagonally into 1/2-in. slices. Place slices, cut side down, on baking pans. , Bake 10-12 minutes longer. Turn oven off, leaving cookies in oven to cool with door ajar. Store cookies in airtight containers.

RAISIN-AND-NUT-STUDDED BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Soak the raisins in the liquor for 30 minutes. Drain, reserving the liquid. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour 2 cookie sheets.
• If you are making the biscotti by hand, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. With your fingers, rub in the butter until the mixture has the texture of coarse cornmeal. Place them in a mixing bowl, making a well in the center. Beat together the egg yolks, reserved liquor and the milk and pour them into the well. Gradually draw the dry ingredients into the egg mixture, turning the bowl and working from the outside toward the center. When the dough is evenly mixed, scrape it onto a lightly floured work surface and flatten it into a rectangle. Scatter half the raisins, pine nuts, almonds, candied orange peel and aniseeds over the dough, and fold the dough over on itself several times to distribute them evenly. Add more flour to the work surface if necessary to keep the dough from sticking, and repeat the process with the remaining raisins, pine nuts, almond, orange peel and aniseeds.
• If you are using an electric mixer, combine the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside. In the mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar and beat for about 3 minutes, until light and creamy. Add the yolks, one at a time, incorporating each fully before adding another. Stir in the liquor and the milk. Sift the flour mixture over the top and fold in at the lowest speed. Add the remaining ingredients by hand.
• Lightly flour the work surface and your hands and shape the dough into 6 equal 9-by-2-inch logs. If the dough is too soft to roll, cover and refrigerate it for 1 to 2 hours. Transfer the logs to the cookie sheets, setting them at least 2 inches apart. Flatten the tops and brush with the egg wash.
• Bake until pale golden and barely firm, about 20 minutes. Remove the logs from the cookie sheets, let them cool until you can handle them, about 10 minutes, then cut each one on the diagonal at -inch intervals. Set the slices on their edges on the cookie sheets, leaving 1-inch space between them, and bake until golden and firm, about 15 to 18 minutes. Alternatively, you can lay the slices on their sides and turn them after 7 minutes. Cool on a rack.

THE REAL ITALIAN BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• In mixer beat eggs and anise flavoring together for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
• In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and sugar.
• Mix in the Crisco until it turns into small pieces.
• Add the egg mixture and combine (dough will be thick and sticky).
• Lightly grease cookie sheet.
• Roll dough into logs approximately the length of your cookie sheet, 1 1/2 inches thick and 1 inch high.
• Place logs on the greased cookie sheet about 4 inches apart.
• Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Remove from oven and slice diagonally.
• Lay cut side down in tray and bake about 10 more minutes.
• I have put almonds or walnuts (coarsely chopped) in batter and they do taste good., but I have found that if I put the nuts in dry mixture and then add the egg mixture it is so much easier.

BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Prepare the biscotti. Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Spread the almonds and pistachios evenly on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Toast for about 30 minutes, until they are golden brown. You will be able to smell the nuts when they are ready. A good test is to break a nut in half and check to see if it is light brown on the inside. Toasting the nuts brings out their natural flavor. Remove them from the oven and allow to cool completely on the baking sheet on a wire rack.
• Place the remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined, about 5 minutes; the mixture will hold together in a soft dough. Add the cooled toasted nuts and mix until they are evenly incorporated, about 1 minute. If you are using a hand-held mixer, you may want to knead in the nuts by hand to avoid burning out the motor of the mixer.
• Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and place on a very lightly floured work surface. If the dough is sticky and hard to work with, it is too soft. To fix this, flatten it into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and place it in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour. (When the butter in the dough gets cold, the dough will stiffen.) Remove from the refrigerator and proceed.)
• Preheat the oven to 350��F (175°C). Divide the dough into three equal pieces. Use the palms of your hands to roll each piece on the lightly floured work surface into a rope 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Each rope should be even and fit on your baking sheet lengthwise. If the dough sticks to your hands or to the work surface as you are rolling it, dust it lightly with flour. Roll firmly to remove any trapped air bubbles. (At this stage, you can wrap the dough well in plastic wrap and freeze for up to two weeks. Bring it back to room temperature before baking.)
• Place two of the biscotti ropes on a parchment paper-covered baking sheet. You will only have room for two because they spread as they bake. With a pastry brush, lightly brush each rope with the egg white; this will add shine to the baked biscotti. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minues. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly on the baking sheet.
• Use a serrated knife to slice the biscotti on a diagonal into 1/2-inch thick cookies. If you do this while the biscotti are still warm, they will not crumble. The biscotti will harden as they cool. If they are still soft when you slice them, place the slices on a baking sheet and bake at 300°F (150°C) for another 10 to 15 minutes. Repeat the baking and cooling procedure with the remaining biscotti rope.
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature for two to three weeks.

ITALIAN BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Cream butter, sugar and 1 tablespoon anise seed.
• Add eggs and vanilla.
• Combine flour, baking powder and 1 tablespoon Anise seed.
• Add to cream mixture.
• Add nuts, mix in, and form dough into 2 or 3 long thin rolls.
• Place rolls on a ungreased baking pan or cookie sheet and bake cookie rolls at 350 degrees 15-20 minutes , or till light brown.
• Remove from oven and cut diagonally into 1/2-3/4 inch slices.
• Put back in oven and bake an additional 10-15 minutes or till Biscotti is lightly toasted.
• You want the biscoti to dry slightly.
• It will look somewhat like a elongated piece of french bread, except smaller.

DRIED FRUIT AND NUT BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl.
• Add eggs, nuts and fruit.
• Mix well.
• Put into a greased loaf pan and bake on 180 degrees for about 40 minutes.
• Cool and turn out of pan.
• Slice loaf as thinly as possible and layer on large oven tray.
• Reduce oven to low temperature and place tray in oven to dry out biscotti for approximately another 40 minutes.