My Version of Biscotti . . .

Biscotti seems to be the elegant cookie of choice these days. I notice that just a small package of these Italian cookie treats costs a lot more than the actual ingredients. When we were first married, my husband purchased an Italian baking book for the bread recipes in it. I discovered a Biscotti recipe in the back of the book and, with minor changes over the years, this has become a regular part of my Christmas cookie plates every year.

Biscotti

3¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
5 eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cups toasted almonds, roughly chopped*

Place flour, sugar and baking powder in a large bowl. Mix. Add the rest of the ingredients, mixing thoroughly. Depending on how dry your flour is, you may either need an extra egg or more flour. The dough should hold it’s shape and you may find mixing and kneading it with your hands easier than with a spoon.

Grease two baking sheets. Divide the dough into quarters. Shape each piece of dough into a long, somewhat flattened loaf. The dough will spread in baking so keep some space between the loaves. Shaping the dough directly onto the baking sheets is easier than trying to move it from the board. The dough is sticky and spraying your hands with vegetable spray helps a lot. There will be two loaves on each baking sheet.

Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for approximately 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 325. Cool the loaves slightly and cut diagonally into 3/4-inch slices and lay them cut side up on the sheets. Return to the oven for another 15 minutes. Cool on racks.

*Toast whole, shelled almonds on a baking sheet for about 15 minutes at 375 degrees. Cool before chopping and adding to your dough. Do not blanch the almonds.
Ideas . . .
1. Instead of almonds, use chopped walnuts or pecans with a tablespoon of grated orange rind.
2. In place of any type of nut, add powdered ginger, cloves, cinnamon and lemon rind according to taste.
3. Use chopped walnuts and ¼ cup cocoa powder.
4. Mini chocolate chips and raisins
5. Form your cookie loaf on parchment paper for easy removal after baking.
6. Dip one end of the cookie into either dark or white chocolate.